Woman arrested for staging own kidnap to extort N5m from husband in Edo

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have apprehended a 27-year-old woman, Chioma Success, for allegedly faking her own kidnapping in a plot to extort money from her husband.

According to the command, two other suspects Martins Chidozie (23) and Osita Godfrey (33)  were also arrested for their involvement in the scheme.

The command’s deputy spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that the arrests followed an investigation into a reported kidnapping case.

On October 27, 2025, one Paul Adaniken lodged a report at the New Etete Police Division, stating that he had left his wife, Chioma Success Ezebie, and their three-year-old son, Andrea Ojiezelabor, at home before leaving for his shop.

Later that day, he received a call from an unknown number claiming that his wife and son had been abducted.

The alleged kidnappers demanded a ₦5 million ransom for their release.

However, during the investigation, police uncovered that Osita Godfrey, a cousin to the purported victim who initially appeared to be assisting with information, was actually complicit in the crime. His confession led to the arrest of Chioma Success, who admitted to conspiring with her accomplices to stage the fake abduction in order to obtain money from her husband.

Another suspect, Martins Chidozie, was subsequently arrested in connection with the plot.

ASP Ikoedem confirmed that the ₦5 million ransom had been recovered and that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and possible prosecution.