Two students stage own kidnapping —Police

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspects for their involvement in a self-orchestrated kidnap and a foiled extortion attempt in the state.

The two suspects, whose names were given as Chinecherem Okonkwo (female), a 28-year-old female student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, and Chinecherem Aronu (male), age 30 years, were said to have masterminded their own kidnapping and used an unknown voice to demand a ransom of N10 million from the family.

This was disclosed in a press statement released on Monday by the spokesman for the Anambra State police, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.

Ikenga said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, acting on an intelligence-led investigation of a disturbing report of the alleged abduction of a female student, arrested the suspects at a lodge located at UNIZIK Temp Site, Awka.

The statement said, “The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspects involved in a self-orchestrated kidnap incident designed to extort money from the victim’s own family.

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“The suspects are Chinecherem Okonkwo ‘f’ age 28years old and Chinecherem Aronu ‘m’ age 30years old

“Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad 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, July 8, 2025, informing them that she was returning home from school but never arrived.

“Her phone remained switched off throughout that day. On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, her family received a call from an unknown male voice who claimed responsibility for her kidnapping and demanded a ransom of ₦10 million 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.”

According to Ikenga, upon interrogation, the duo confessed to staging the kidnapping as a plot to extract money from the victim’s family.

He added that the female suspect, Nwaokoye, admitted she masterminded the plan after watching a movie and intended to give the money to her boyfriend to start a business.

“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.

“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,” he added.