The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Terry Ogbonna, over an alleged plot with his friends to kidnap his 16-year-old girlfriend and demand a ₦50m ransom from her mother.
The police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, disclosed the arrest in a video shared on X, saying investigations uncovered the alleged plan after the incident caused panic among residents of the estate where the girl’s parents live.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly attempted to make another resident, identified as Theophilus, appear to be the mastermind behind the abduction.
Edafe said Theophilus, who lived in the same estate and reportedly had a disagreement with the girl’s mother, was arrested and detained for two days before investigators established that he was allegedly being framed.
During questioning, Ogbonna reportedly admitted discussing the kidnapping plan with a friend identified as Lucky, but claimed they later changed their minds. He said his friend and others proceeded with the plan after seeing the girl.
The teenager told the police that Ogbonna was her boyfriend and that she had previously rejected his suggestion that they fake her kidnapping to obtain money from her mother.
She said she later discovered a ransom message on her phone after one of the alleged accomplices took it.
The girl also recounted that she was taken to a riverside and threatened with being thrown into the water if her mother failed to pay ₦50m.
Ogbonna reportedly told investigators that the girl had stayed at his house for two days.
The case has also raised concerns over the suspect’s alleged sexual relationship with the teenager. During questioning, he reportedly said he did not know that having sex with someone under 18 was an offence.
Section 31 of the Child Rights Act 2003 criminalises sexual intercourse with a child and provides for life imprisonment upon conviction. The applicability of the law and any charges in this case would depend on the relevant jurisdiction and legal proceedings.
The alleged kidnapping plot and ransom demand could also attract separate criminal charges if supported by evidence. The allegations against Ogbonna and the other suspects have not been established in court.
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