By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command said it had taken custody of one Samuel Ekezie, a 38-year-old personnel of the 302 Artillery Regiment, Nigerian Army, Onitsha, after he allegedly staged his own kidnapping to extort money from his family.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Tuesday, in which he said the failed staged kidnap was uncovered through technology-driven intelligence.
According to him, the suspect reportedly faked his abduction on August 15, 2025, and sent text message to his family demanding a ransom of twenty million naira (₦20,000,000) for his “release.”
The Police Spokesman said Ekezie was subsequently arrested exactly one month after, on September 15, 2025, in Rivers State, where he had sought refuge following the staged kidnapping.
He further confirmed that the police have currently taken custody of the suspect from the Nigerian Army and are conducting a meticulous investigation into the the case, to ensure that justice is served.
