Police Arrest Girl, Boyfriend Over Fake Kidnapping in Delta, Recover N2m Ransom

A 20-year-old girl, Princess Okolie, has been arrested by the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-Crime Squad of the Delta State Police Command for faking her own kidnapping in Asaba, the state capital. Her boyfriend, Prince Atigbi, who collaborated in the act, was also apprehended after the pair collected a ransom of N2 million.

The arrest was confirmed by the Command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, who revealed that on January 2, 2025, Mrs. Oliko Joy, the girl’s mother, filed a complaint with the police that her daughter had left home on December 30, 2024, and failed to return. 

According to Mrs. Oliko, she received a call the following day from an anonymous source claiming that her daughter had been kidnapped, with the abductors demanding a ransom of N2 million.

Acting swiftly, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, tasked the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-Crime Squad with investigating the matter. The squad’s commander, CSP Labe Joseph, deployed operatives who conducted an intelligence-driven investigation. Their efforts led to the arrest of Prince Atigbi.

Edafe disclosed, "Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was not an actual kidnapper but had been acting out a script written by his girlfriend. He stated that Princess Okolie orchestrated the fake kidnap so they could extort money from her parents."

Both suspects are currently in police custody, and the N2 million ransom money has been recovered.

The Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, urged parents to prioritize the moral and spiritual upbringing of their children to prevent similar incidents. “Children raised with good values are less likely to engage in acts that bring pain to their families and society,” he said.