Enugu Police Arrest 21-Year-Old, Accomplices Over Staged Kidnapping, N2M Ransom Fraud, Recover Firearm, Ammunition

Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command, attached to the Nsukka Sector of the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad, arrested four male suspects on May 24, 2025, at about 1 p.m., for conspiracy, staged kidnapping, and defrauding the parents of a staged kidnapping victim of ₦2,000,000.00.

The suspects include Chidera Godwin Ako, aged 21, who orchestrated his own kidnapping; Okechukwu Philip Chidalu, aged 19; Ifeanyi Ugwu, aged 20; and Ossai Chigozie, aged 35, recently released from the Nigerian Correctional Service custodial centre. A locally made single-barrel gun and two live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

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Chidera was reported missing on May 4, 2025. Subsequently, on May 21, 2025, his accomplices used his phone to demand a ₦10,000,00.00 ransom from his parents, sending a video of him bound, appearing beaten, with the recovered gun pointed at him. The parents pleaded for his release and paid ₦1,500,000.00 into a provided account, on May 22, 2025, but the suspects failed to release him. After an additional ₦500,000.00 payment, the police operatives swiftly arrested Chidera and his accomplices at a POS centre during an attempt to withdraw the funds. The suspects confessed to the crime and will be arraigned upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, while describing the criminal act as unfortunate, has ordered further arrests of anyone linked to the crime.

He urged the public to report suspected kidnappings immediately and avoid hasty ransom payments, emphasising that some cases, like this one, may be staged.