Students falsify their own kidnapping, demanding ₦ 10m ransom from parents in a shocking plot with a boyfriend

In the case of strange fraud and criminal ingenuity, the Anambra State Police Command has arrested a female student from the Enugu State Technology University (Esut), Chinecherem Nwaokoye, and his girlfriend, Chinecherem Aronu, for fake kidnapping in an effort to squeeze ₦ 10 million from his own family.

The suspects were arrested by operators from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) after an investigation led by intelligence who was carefully coordinated. According to the police, the victim called was found alive and in a healthy condition in a cottage on the Temp Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik) site, Awka, where he was hiding with his girlfriend.

The arrest followed a report submitted by a caring victim’s family, which was guided to believe that their daughter had been kidnapped on the way home from school. The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, explained how the case was opened.

“The phone remained killed throughout the day. On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, his family received a call from the voice of an unknown man who claimed to be responsible for his abduction and demanded a ransom of 10,000,000,” Ikenga said.

He added that after a series of negotiations, the ransom demand finally decreased.

“After negotiations, the ransom is reduced to ₦ 3,000,000, and a portion of payment of ₦ 1,000,000 is then paid to the victim’s bank account,” he said.

Worried about development and suspicion of the situation, the police operation in action. Their investigation finally took them to the location where Nwaokoye and his accomplices were found.

After their arrest and the next interrogation, the two suspects claimed to regulate fake abduction.

Sp Ikenga said, “Both claimed to perform kidnapping as a plan to extract money from the victim’s family.”

The female student, Nwaokoye, reportedly told the investigator that the plan was inspired by a film that he had watched and was intended to help his girlfriend launch a business venture.

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“The female suspect acknowledged the mastery of the plan after watching the film, adding that her intention was to give money to her boyfriend to start a business,” Ikenga stressed.

Reacting to development, Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the incident strongly, describing it as a reflection that disturbed the erosion of moral values among several young people.

“This is a clear sign in deepening moral decay among several young people in the community,” complained Orutugu.

He stressed that the police would not forgive such criminal fraud and call for greater vigilance than parents.

“The order will not tolerate such criminal fraud. Parents and guardians must pay more attention to the activities of their children and the influence of peer groups,” Commissioner warned.

The police since then concluded plans to charge the suspects in court, with the commissioners directed that they were charged with without delay.