Enugu varsity student, boyfriend arrested over N10m self-kidnap plot

By Obinna Unaeze

A 28 year-old student of Enugu State University identified as Chinecherem Nwokoye has been arrested for plotting her own kidnapping with her boyfriend in order to extort N10 million from her family.

The spokesperson for Enugu Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga revealed this in a statement on Monday in Awka.

He identified the student’s boyfriend involved in the self-orchestrated kidnap plot as 30 year-old Chinecherem Aronu.

Ikenga said the self kidnap plot was busted by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Command after the payment of N1 million out of the ransom demanded.

The RSS operatives, he said stormed a lodge located at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University temporary site, Awka, where the victim was found in the company of her male accomplice.

According to him, Nwokoye had earlier contacted her family on July 8, informing them that she was returning home from school, but never arrived.

He said her phone remained switched off throughout that day, but on July 9, her family received a call from an unknown male voice who claimed responsibility for her kidnap and demanded a ransom of ₦10 million.

After negotiations, the ransom was reduced to ₦3 million and a part payment of ₦1 million was later paid.

“The female suspect, Nwokoye, admitted she masterminded the plan after watching a movie and intended to give the money to her boyfriend to start a business,” Ikenga said.

The police spokesman said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has directed that the suspects be charged to court without delay and condemned the incident as a clear sign of deepening moral decay among some youths in the society.

Orutugu warned that the command would not tolerate such criminal deception and called on parents and guardians to pay closer attention to the activities and peer influence on their children.

(NAN)