ESUT student, boyfriend arrested for faking kidnap to extort N10m from family

In a startling case of deception, the Anambra State Police Command has arrested a female undergraduate of the Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Chinecherem Nwaokoye, and her boyfriend, Chinecherem Aronu, for masterminding a fake kidnapping scheme to extort N10 million from her own family.

The duo were apprehended by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) after a thorough, intelligence-led investigation.

According to the police, Nwaokoye was found alive and well inside a lodge at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Temporary Site in Awka, Anambra State, where she had been hiding with her boyfriend.

The incident began when Nwaokoye’s family, worried over her unexplained disappearance, reported her missing.

Her mobile phone had remained switched off, adding to their fears.

The following day, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the family received a call from a man claiming to have kidnapped her. The caller demanded a ransom of N10 million for her release.

Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, explained that following a round of negotiations, the ransom demand was reduced to N3 million, and the family eventually paid N1 million into Nwaokoye’s own bank account. This, according to the police, raised red flags.

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“Operatives quickly launched an investigation, which led them to a lodge in Awka where both suspects were found hiding,” SP Ikenga said.

Upon arrest and interrogation, Nwaokoye and Aronu confessed to staging the fake kidnapping as a scheme to extract money from her parents. The female student reportedly admitted she was inspired by a movie and had hoped the money would help her boyfriend start a business.

“The female suspect admitted masterminding the plan after watching a movie, adding that the intention was to give the money to her boyfriend to start a business,” Ikenga added.

Reacting to the incident, Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the act as a shocking example of moral decline among youths.

“This is a clear sign of deepening moral decay among some youths in the society,” he stated, adding that the command would not tolerate such acts of criminal deception.

He urged parents to be more vigilant about their children’s behavior and associations, warning that such cases would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The police have since concluded arrangements to arraign the suspects in court, with the Commissioner instructing that charges be filed without delay.