Woman Fakes Own Kidnap, Found in Delta Hotel With Lover

A married woman identified as Oluchi has been discovered in a hotel in Delta State after allegedly staging her own kidnapping and demanding a ransom of ₦50 million from her family.

According to reports, her family, including a daughter based in Canada, had launched appeals for assistance to secure her release after being informed she was abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area. The alleged kidnappers later reduced the ransom demand to ₦20 million.

However, a police investigation reportedly traced a key phone number linked to the case to a hotel in Delta State. Detectives subsequently located Oluchi and her alleged lover together at the hotel, exposing the abduction claim as false.

A source familiar with the investigation said police informed her husband after making the discovery. The woman reportedly pleaded with him not to reveal the true circumstances to their children.

In a video circulating online, her daughter, Anita, expressed shock and disappointment over the incident, saying the revelation had devastated the family. She stated that all funds raised for the supposed ransom remained untouched and would be refunded.

Anita maintained that the family acted in good faith and involved the police from the outset, believing her mother had genuinely been kidnapped.

The incident also prompted a reaction from the Harmony Ladies Club, a social group to which Anita belongs. The organisation said it felt betrayed after providing emotional, logistical and financial support during what members believed was a genuine kidnapping emergency.

In a statement, the group described the alleged scheme as deeply disappointing and embarrassing, noting that members had mobilised resources and support out of concern for the family’s welfare.

Confirming the development, police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem said four people had been arrested in connection with the case and investigations were ongoing.

Authorities are expected to determine the specific roles played by each suspect and whether criminal charges will be filed.