Anambra State Police Command has arrested a serving soldier for allegedly faking his own kidnap to extort ₦20 million from his family.
Police said 38-year-old Samuel Ekezie was tracked to Rivers State and is now under investigation.
The Anambra State Police Command says it has taken into custody a serving soldier accused of faking his own abduction to extort ₦20 million from his relatives.
The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Samuel Ekezie of the Nigerian Army’s 302 Artillery Regiment in Onitsha, was arrested on September 15, 2025. According to police, Ekezie allegedly sent a text message to his family in August claiming he had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom for his release.
In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, said preliminary investigations indicate the suspect deliberately staged the incident to obtain money. Using technology-based tracking, police operatives located and apprehended him at a hideout in Rivers State.
The command assured the public that a comprehensive investigation is underway and pledged to ensure appropriate legal action against anyone found culpable.
