A 45-year-old woman, Oluchi Ugbowan, has admitted to orchestrating her own kidnapping in a desperate attempt to raise money to settle debts that had become overwhelming.
Ugbowan, who was recently arrested by the Edo State Police Command alongside three other suspects, confessed that she was never abducted. Instead, she deliberately went into hiding and worked with others to create the impression that she had been kidnapped.
The incident came to light after her family reported her missing and received demands for a ₦50 million ransom. Investigations by the police, however, uncovered what authorities described as a carefully planned kidnapping hoax.
Speaking while being paraded by the police, Ugbowan said mounting financial pressure pushed her into the scheme. According to her, creditors had been mounting pressure on her, and debt recovery agents had even visited her home on the day she disappeared.
She explained that the original plan was to convince her family to raise money that could be used to offset her debts. To make the story believable, she enlisted the help of Israel Ability and his younger brother, who assisted in staging scenes that portrayed her as a kidnapping victim.
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Ugbowan disclosed that she directed the recording of a video in which a cutlass and later a gun were placed against her neck while she pretended to be held captive. She also tied her own hands to make the situation appear genuine.
According to her, the dramatic footage was intended to pressure her family into taking the ransom demand seriously and negotiating her release.
One of the suspects, Israel Ability, admitted his involvement in the plot, claiming that Ugbowan approached him with the idea and persuaded him to help execute it. He said he purchased the SIM card used to contact her family and participated in making ransom calls demanding ₦50 million.
Ability said Ugbowan provided money for hotel accommodation where part of the operation was coordinated. He expressed regret over his role in the incident, stating that he never anticipated the legal consequences of his actions.
His younger brother, Chinedu Chibuzor, also claimed he was unaware of the true nature of the scheme. He said he believed the recording was part of a drama presentation intended for church use and did not know it would be used to support a fake kidnapping story.
Meanwhile, their father admitted ownership of the firearm used during the recording. He told police that the gun, which was not licensed, had been acquired for vigilante activities. He also confirmed that the video was recorded inside his residence.
The Edo State Police Command has taken all the suspects into custody as investigations continue. Authorities say the case highlights the dangers and legal consequences of staging criminal incidents for financial gain.
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