A woman identified as Oluchi, who was earlier reported missing and believed to have been kidnapped in Edo State, has been found in a hotel in Delta State with a man said to be her lover. The discovery followed days of public appeals for ransom and intense police investigation into the case.
Relatives had reported to the police that Oluchi was abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. After the report, her children, including a daughter based in Canada, launched a fundraising drive when the suspected abductors allegedly demanded N50 million ransom, which was later reduced to N20 million.
Police investigations led operatives to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where Oluchi was located with the man. According to a source familiar with the investigation, detectives traced a phone number linked to one of the suspects to the hotel and found both of them inside. The woman’s husband was later informed after officers uncovered the situation.
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Reacting in a video that has since gone viral, Oluchi’s daughter Anita said the family was shocked by the outcome. She stated that the family worked closely with security agencies and did not pay any ransom before her mother’s recovery. Anita added that investigators told them her mother and the man allegedly planned to benefit from part of the money already raised by the family.
The development stunned members of the Harmony Ladies Club, a group Anita belongs to. The club said it had offered emotional, financial and logistical support when news of the alleged abduction first broke, and expressed disappointment after learning the findings of the police investigation.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, CSP Moses Yamu, said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the matter. He noted that investigations are ongoing to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the case.
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