Police in Akwa Ibom have arrested a woman who allegedly faked her own kidnapping.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Waheed Ayilara, disclosed this in Uyo on Friday while briefing journalists.
He said police operatives also arrested 52 suspects for various criminal activities ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, child trafficking, cultism, and fraud.
One of them is a female from Nung Oku village in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom who arranged her own kidnapping.
After demanding ₦4 million as ransom, she was apprehended by operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
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“A report was received on Monday from one Enobong Sampson that her sister had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding N4m as ransom,” he said.
“As a result, operatives of Anti-kidnapping Squad of the Command embarked on an intense and intelligence-driven operation to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victim.
“On Tuesday, however, the purported victim and her boyfriend were arrested at a hideout at Mbierebe Obio, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.
“She confessed to have conspired with her boyfriend and three others to proclaim her kidnap to raise money from her aunty based outside the country.”
The police commissioner said that on Wednesday, police arrested a man at Uruting village in Okobo Local Government Area of the state for killing his 75-year-old father, using a machete.
The suspect claimed that his deceased father had sold all the parcels of land he had, including the one that he gave to him to build his house, as the reason for his action, the police commissioner said.
Ayilara also said that on March 8, police arrested one man at Ayam village in Etinan Local Government Area of the state for being involved in the production of adulterated fruits, drinks, and fake products.
Also on March 8, police rescued and arrested a man who used point-of-sale (POS) machines to defraud innocent citizens and was to be set ablaze but for the arrival of police operatives.
Ayilara said most of the man’s victims had identified him, and ₦350,000 cash was recovered from him at the time of arrest.
The police commissioner pledged that all the suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations were concluded.
