Shock As 26-year-old Man Fakes His Own Kidnap, Demands ₦35m From Family
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, Chibuike Joshua Ugwuja, for allegedly staging his own abduction and demanding a ₦35 million ransom from his family.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the case began on November 24, 2025, when the suspect’s father reported that his son had not returned home from work since November 22. Ugwuja, who worked as a private security guard in an estate in Trans-Ekulu, was later discovered to have sent a Facebook message to a female neighbour, claiming he had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in a commercial bus.
The message also claimed that the supposed abductors were demanding ransom, prompting the police to launch a search-and-rescue operation.
The situation took a dramatic turn on November 30 when the suspect’s father brought him to the police station after days of intense search by operatives. During questioning, Ugwuja confessed that he faked his own kidnapping and had been hiding in a friend’s house in Amorji Nike.
He reportedly told investigators that he staged the act out of frustration, alleging that his uncle had failed to buy him a tricycle (keke) as promised. After realising that no ransom would be paid, he abandoned the plan and returned home on November 29.
Ugwuja is currently in police custody and will be charged in court upon the completion of the investigation.
Describing the incident as “a regrettable height of criminality,” the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the suspect’s parents for promptly involving the police instead of attempting to conceal the matter.
“Kidnapping, whether real or staged, creates fear and instability in the community. We will not tolerate acts that abuse public trust,”
He warned.
The CP urged residents to continue reporting suspected kidnapping cases and to avoid hastily paying ransom, stressing that community cooperation remains crucial in combating the menace.
The Command also reassured the public of its commitment to maintaining safety and ensuring that offenders face justice.
