The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a female student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Chinecherem Nwaokoye, for allegedly staging her kidnap and extorting her parents.
Chinecherem was said to have conspired with her boyfriend identified as Aronu to abduct herself before Aronu, aged 30, contacted his girlfriend’s family members, asking them to pay N10 million before she could be released to them.
Eventually, THE POINT gathered that the parents negotiated with the male suspect and beat the ransom down to N3 million. They were said to have transfered the sum of N1 million and had sought for more time to raise the remaining amount.
Chinecherem, aged 28, was said to have given the N1 million to Aronu immediately the money was transferred to her bank account.
Eventually, the family members alerted the police and the two suspects were arrested.
Confirming the incident, Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra, in a statement on Monday, said the two suspects were arrested for involving in a self-kidnap.
“Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) acting on an intelligence-led investigation of a disturbing report of alleged abduction of Chinecherem Nwaokoye, a female student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), stormed a lodge located at UNIZIK Temp Site, Awka, where the victim was found alive and in the company of her male accomplice.
“According to the report, Chinecherem had earlier contacted her family on Tuesday, 8th July 2025, informing them that she was returning home from school but never arrived. Her phone remained switched off throughout that day. On Wednesday, 9th July 2025, her family received a call from an unknown male voice who claimed responsibility for her kidnap and demanded a ransom of ₦10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) only.
“After negotiations, the ransom was reduced to ₦3,000,000, and a part payment of ₦1,000,000 was later paid into the victim’s bank account.
“Upon interrogation, the duo confessed to staging the kidnap as a plot to extract money from the victim’s family. The female suspect, Chinecherem Nwaokoye, admitted she masterminded the plan after watching a movie and intended to give the money to her boyfriend to start a business,” Ikenga explained.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, has directed that the suspects be charged to court without delay.
Orutugu condemned the incident as a clear sign of deepening moral decay among some youths in the society. He warned that the Command will not tolerate such criminal deception and called on parents and guardians to pay closer attention to the activities and peer influence on their children