Jesse Chidebere: 17-year-old IMSU student arrested for faking own kidnap, death

The Imo State Police Command has detained 17-year-old Jesse Chidebere, a student at Imo State University (IMSU), for faking her abduction and death.

Police Public Relations Officer ASP Henry Okoye revealed this in a statement issued in Owerri, shared with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday.

Okoye emphasized that the hoax caused significant distress to Chidebere’s family and the university community.

The statement noted, “On October 26, around 10:00 p.m., police received a distress call from concerned citizens reporting Chidebere missing. A message from her WhatsApp account claimed she had been abducted and killed, urging her family to go to the Orji Police Station for confirmation.”

In response, police operatives launched a search and discovered on the morning of October 27 that Chidebere was alive and had fabricated the story as a prank on social media.

The PPRO added that an investigation is underway to determine her motives, and she will face prosecution. He also stated that Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma expressed concern over the “irresponsible behavior, which wasted valuable resources and caused public panic.”

He urged parents to caution their children against engaging in dangerous pranks and spreading misinformation. “The command remains committed to combating misinformation and ensuring a safe environment for everyone in the state,” he stressed.