An alleged self-kidnap plot has been uncovered by the Edo State Police Command, leading to the arrest of four suspects accused of attempting to extort ₦50 million from family members.
Gatekeepers News reports that the case began on June 1, 2026, when Mr. Tony Ugbowan reported to the police that his wife, Mrs. Oluchi Ugbowan, had been kidnapped while travelling to her shop along Agbor Road in Benin City.
According to the report, the family subsequently received calls from an unknown number demanding ₦50 million as ransom for her release.
Rather than treating the matter as a routine kidnapping case, detectives attached to the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit launched an extensive investigation, deploying intelligence-gathering and technical tracking tools to verify the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction.
The investigation took a dramatic turn with the arrest of 28-year-old Israel Ability at Ramat Park in Benin City. Police said the missing woman’s mobile phone was recovered from the suspect, raising questions about the authenticity of the kidnap claim.
During interrogation, Ability allegedly confessed that he had been recruited by Mrs. Ugbowan to negotiate ransom payments from her family while portraying her as a kidnap victim.
Acting on the information, police operatives tracked Mrs. Ugbowan to a hotel in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, where she was arrested on June 5.
Investigators said she allegedly admitted orchestrating the scheme and subsequently led officers to another suspect, 38-year-old Ochukwudem Uwadia.
Further investigations revealed that Uwadia’s residence was allegedly used as the location for producing and recording videos sent to family members as proof of captivity.
In the videos, Mrs. Ugbowan reportedly appeared with her hands and feet tied while a firearm was pointed at her head to create the impression that she was being held hostage.
Police identified the individual seen brandishing the weapon in the recordings as 18-year-old Chibuzor Ochukwudem, said to be the son of the suspect.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of an automatic pump-action gun allegedly used during the production of the ransom videos.
Reacting to the development, Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, commended the operatives for uncovering what he described as an elaborate criminal deception.
He reiterated that all reported kidnapping cases are treated with utmost seriousness and warned that false kidnap claims not only constitute criminal offences but also divert critical security resources from genuine victims.
The command urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and avoid participating in schemes capable of creating panic or undermining security operations.
All four suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue.
