A married woman identified as Oluchi has been discovered in a hotel in Delta State after allegedly staging her own kidnapping and demanding a ransom from her family.
The woman was initially reported missing after her relatives informed the police that she had been abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. Her children, including a daughter based in Canada, launched public appeals for financial assistance to secure her release.
According to the family, the suspected kidnappers initially demanded N50 million but later reduced the ransom to N20 million.
However, investigations by a police tactical team reportedly led officers to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where Oluchi was allegedly found in the company of her lover.
A source familiar with the investigation said the police traced the man’s phone number to the hotel and informed the woman’s husband after locating them. The source added that Oluchi pleaded with her husband not to reveal the true circumstances to their children.
Reacting in an online video, her daughter, Anita, expressed disappointment and described the incident as devastating for the family. She said they had acted only to rescue their mother and had no knowledge that the kidnapping was allegedly staged.
“My family’s reputation has been damaged, and we are all in shock,” she said, adding that the family would allow the law to take its course.
Anita also disclosed that no ransom was paid and that all funds raised would be refunded after learning that the abduction was not genuine. She claimed investigators informed the family that her mother and the man had planned to collect the N20 million already raised.
The Harmony Ladies Club, of which Anita is a member, also distanced itself from the incident. In a statement, the group said it had provided emotional, logistical, and financial support in what it believed was a genuine kidnapping, describing the discovery as a profound betrayal.
Confirming the case, Edo State Police Public Relations Officer Eno Ikoedem said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and that investigations are ongoing.