Tobias Sylvester
Officers of the FCT Police Command have arrested a 37-year-old woman, Torkwase Queen Ayakpa, for staging her own kidnap in order to extort N20,000 from her elder sister in Abuja.
Parading the suspect alongside 24 others for different crimes on Wednesday at the FCT Police Command, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the territory, CP Bala Ciroma said she confessed that she conspired with one Fidelis Ikule, 36, to stage the kidnap.
They were arrested after the police tracked the calls they were making for the ransom to Ikule’s house in Mashafa Village, Mpape, Abuja, where they were staying.
Fielding questions from journalists, the suspect, who claimed her business as a stylist was no longer doing well because of the coronavirus pandemic, said she came up with the idea because things were difficult for her.
According to her, she had begged her sister for some money which she intended to start a business and she refused so she wanted to test if her sister really loved her.
Queen, who hails from Benue state, said she left home on Monday, July 20, and called her sister telling her she has been kidnapped and her abductors needed N20, 000 to free her.
The suspect also asked Ikule to call her sister and tell her she was kidnapped and demand the ransom, however, the sister asked for an account number to pay the money but they insisted the money be paid in cash.
The sister suspecting foul play reported the matter to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on July 26, and the phones used for the ransom call were tracked leading to their arrest.
Ikule, who was also paraded, admitted that he called Queen’s sister on her instruction to demand for the money, adding that she stayed in his house the entire period she faked the kidnap.
The Police boss said they would arraigned in court on completion of investigations.
KanyiDaily had also reported how a 14-year-old daughter of Enugu politician faked her own death in order to be with her boyfriend in Owerri, Imo State.
