Police say the suspect allegedly staged her own abduction and threatened to have herself killed if her younger brother failed to pay the ransom, while operatives hunt suspected accomplices.

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 54-year-old woman, identified as Umadi, for allegedly staging her own kidnapping and demanding a ransom of ₦15 million from her younger brother.

The shocking incident came to light after the woman reportedly contacted her brother with claims that she had been abducted by unknown gunmen while travelling to purchase medication.

She allegedly told him that her captors were demanding ₦15 million for her release, warning that they would kill her if the money was not paid.

Worried about his sister's safety, the man reported the incident to the police at the Ogwuash-Uku Division on October 23, 2026, prompting an investigation into the alleged abduction.

The Delta State Police Command subsequently directed operatives of its Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Ubuluku to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and secure the victim's release.

However, investigations reportedly uncovered a shocking twist: there had been no kidnapping, and the woman had allegedly organised the entire operation to extort money from her brother.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed the development in a video released by the command, expressing surprise that a woman in her 50s would allegedly devise such a scheme.

According to Edafe, previous cases of staged kidnappings encountered by the command had largely involved teenagers and young adults, making the latest incident particularly disturbing.

During interrogation, Umadi reportedly admitted to arranging the fake abduction and contacting her younger brother to demand ₦15 million.

When questioned about the ransom amount, she confirmed that she had requested the sum and also admitted threatening that her supposed captors would take her life if the payment was not made.

The suspect, however, reportedly struggled to provide a convincing explanation for her actions when asked why she had chosen to target her younger brother.

She also claimed to have spent 12 days in captivity following the alleged staged abduction, which she said began on October 23.

Edafe maintained that police investigations had established that the kidnapping was fabricated as part of an alleged attempt to extort money from the woman's unsuspecting relative.

The police spokesperson commended the brother for reporting the ransom demand to security agencies rather than attempting to handle the situation privately.

He urged Nigerians to promptly report kidnapping threats and suspicious ransom demands to the police, stressing the importance of allowing security agencies to investigate such incidents.

Meanwhile, the investigation has expanded, with the police identifying other individuals suspected of collaborating with the woman.

Edafe disclosed that operatives were already working to track down the suspected accomplices, maintaining that the operation could not have been successfully executed without assistance from other people.

The command assured the public that efforts were ongoing to arrest everyone allegedly connected to the scheme.

The development comes amid growing concerns over kidnapping and ransom-related crimes across Nigeria, with the Delta incident highlighting how the fear surrounding abductions can allegedly be exploited to defraud even close family members.