The Edo State Police Command has arrested a woman, Chioma Ezebie Adaniken, along with her cousin and another accomplice, for allegedly staging her own kidnapping to extort N5 million from her husband.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Command’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the arrests were made after thorough investigations by operatives attached to the New Etete Division in Benin City.
The statement read: “The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that its operatives attached to New Etete Division, Benin City, have successfully uncovered and apprehended suspects involved in a case of self-kidnapping, following diligent investigation and coordinated intelligence operations.”
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ASP Ikoedem explained that the case began on October 27, 2025, when one Paul Adaniken, of No. 111 Limit Road, off Sapele Road, Benin City, reported to the police that his wife, Chioma Success Ezebie, and their three-year-old son, Andrea Ojiezelabor, had been kidnapped.
“Later that day, at about midday, he received a phone call from an unknown number informing him that his wife and son had been kidnapped, with the abductors demanding a ransom of N5m for their release,” the statement continued.
Detectives immediately launched an investigation, supported by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, which conducted cyber analysis and intelligence-led operations. The effort uncovered that the supposed victim’s cousin, Osita Godfrey, who initially appeared to be assisting the police, was actually involved in the plot.
“The victim’s cousin, Osita Godfrey, ‘m’, aged 33, who was earlier believed to be assisting with information, was arrested and found to be complicit in the crime,” the police said.
His confession eventually led to the arrest of Chioma Adaniken herself, who, according to police findings, “conspired with her accomplices to stage her own abduction in order to extort money from her husband.”
Another accomplice, Martins Chidozie, 23, was also arrested. The police confirmed that all suspects have given “useful confessional statements,” while the ransom money was recovered. The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the swift and tactical efforts of the officers that uncovered the fake kidnap. He warned residents against acts that threaten public peace, reaffirming the command’s commitment to using intelligence and technology-driven strategies to tackle crime.
In recent months, the Edo Police Command has intensified its crackdown on criminal activities. Despite the arrests of multiple suspects, incidents of kidnapping continue to plague some parts of the state.
Earlier in the year, on March 28, 2025, seven travellers were lynched by a mob in Uromi, Edo Central, over alleged kidnapping suspicions after firearms were found in their truck. Similarly, a retired headmaster, Mr. Eliaser Olorunloju, was recently abducted near a Fulani settlement along the Igarra–Uneme–Nekhua–Ibillo road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area. His captors reportedly demanded N70 million in ransom.