A 23 years old boy, Edward Okache was on the 10th of October 2022 arrested with four others, Asamoah Ernest, Isiah Uti, Ephraim Anyijor and charity Lukpata for faking his own kidnap.
The suspects were arrested following a report lodged at Mowe divisional headquarters by Comfort Okache who reported via phone call that his younger brother who travelled from Calabar to Lagos was kidnapped around Mowe area of Ogun State and that the kidnappers were demanding N10 million if the relations want to see the boy alive.
Upon the report, the DPO Mowe division, SP Folake Afeniforo mobilised the division’s tactical teams and moved to the area.
Upon painstakingly combing of the surrounding bush at the Orimerunmu area, the victim was sighted in an uncompleted building with the duo of Asamoah Ernest a Ghanaian and Isiah Uti, where he was tied in both hands and legs.
The two suspects found with him were promptly arrested, while the victim was rescued.
But on getting to the station, the two arrested suspects made a shocking revelation that the so-called victim was the person who planned with them to kidnap him in order for him to extort money from his parents to invest in an online business.
They stated further that the so-called victim was introduced to them by Ephraim Anyijor and Charity Lukpata who are from the same Yala Local Government Area of the cross river as the victim, and that they all are all part of the planned kidnap of Edward Ochace.
Their confession led to the arrest of Ephraim Anyijor and the charity Lukpata. They have all confessed to the commission of the crime.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, has directed that the suspects be transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department’s anti-kidnapping unit for further investigation and possible prosecution.
