An Abia State Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) student identified as Obinna Nwatu, has been arrested by the police for faking his kidnap to extort money from his mother, Mrs Rose Nwatu.
Speaking to newsmen on Friday 8, Abia Commissioner of Police, CP Janet Agbede said that the incident was reported to the police by Obinna’s younger brother, Wisdom Nwatu.
Wisdom had said his brother was kidnapped along Stadium Road, Okpuala Ngwa by unknown hoodlums operating with ash colour Sienna, with registration number unknown, when he went to buy a recharge card.
After an investigation was conducted, the anti-kidnapping unit of the Command arrested one Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe whose bank account was used to receive a ransom of Two hundred thousand nairas (N200,000) only.
This led to the arrest of Obinna who confessed to faking his kidnapping, alleging that he did it because his mother is stingy.
Agbede said;
“Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe told the police after arrest that Obinna Nwatu faked his kidnap.
“He stated that Obinna and one Favour Ugorji a.k.a. “Wizzy” approached him at his shop at Aba Road Abia State and requested that he should give his bank account to enable them to use and receive the school fees of their young sister. The investigation further revealed that Obinna Nwatu and Ugorji received through the account the sum of two hundred thousand nairas (N200,000) paid in as a ransom by Messe Nwatu (mother of Obinna Nwatu).
“Obinna Nwatu confessed he was not kidnapped. He conspired with Favour Ugorji known as “Wizzy (now at large) to intentionally go into hiding at a hotel along with Rhema University Road Aba.
“Obinna who is a Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) student and lives in a boarding school decided to fake his kidnap claiming that his mother Mrs Rose Nwatu is stingy.”