The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 34-year-old man, Idris Isiaka, for allegedly staging his own abduction in Emaudo community, Ekpoma, and demanding a ransom of ₦12 million from his family.
Isiaka, a vulcaniser residing on Balogun Street, Emaudo, was apprehended following intelligence-led investigations that uncovered the alleged self-kidnap, which reportedly took place on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Police said the suspect conspired with two accomplices, identified as Mohammed Saliu and Godwin Mohammed, both currently at large.
According to the police, Isiaka immediately engineered the circulation of news of his purported abduction on social media through a blogger and contacted members of his family in Kogi State, threatening that he would be killed if the ransom was not paid. His brother was said to have sold property to raise part of the ransom, which was subsequently shared among the suspect and his accomplices.
Police confirmed that Isiaka has confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Command noted that the incident followed a similar case recorded days earlier in Ekpoma, where one Obehi Odine was arrested for allegedly staging her own kidnap and demanding a ransom of ₦10 million. The police described the development as a growing and disturbing trend within Ekpoma and its environs.
In response, the Edo State Police Command said it has intensified intelligence gathering and enforcement operations to curb cases of self-kidnapping and false abduction claims. The Command also commended youths in Ekpoma whose timely information and cooperation aided the arrest, stressing the importance of community partnership in effective policing.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, warned individuals engaging in or contemplating self-kidnapping, false abduction reports or ransom-related fraud to desist, noting that such acts constitute serious criminal offences, create unnecessary panic and divert scarce security resources from genuine cases.
He reiterated the Command’s resolve to stamp out the practice, assuring that anyone found involved would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Members of the public were encouraged to continue supporting security efforts through timely information sharing. The Edo State Police Command can be reached via its emergency control room numbers on 08077773721 and 08037646272, or through the Public Complaints Bureau on 08150999335 and the Complaints Response Unit on 08100389992.
