A 16-year-old SS2 student of a private secondary school in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, is currently under police investigation after allegedly faking her own kidnap and demanding a N2 million ransom from her family.

The elaborate hoax, which involved a family friend, was exposed when police tracked the phone used to send the ransom demand.

According to Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, the teenage girl, a native of Izzi Local Government Area, was expected to return to school for the third term on Saturday.

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Instead, she allegedly contacted a family member, claiming she had been abducted.

The girl initially told police she had gone to buy second-hand clothes, locally known as ‘Okirika’, when she was tapped from behind, lost consciousness, and woke up at Ishieke Junction in Ebonyi Local Government Area.

She further claimed to frequently dream of being kidnapped and that her mother regularly prayed against such occurrences.

However, rather than returning home after allegedly regaining consciousness, she proceeded to the house of a family friend who was reportedly unaware of her missing status. It was from this family friend’s phone that she messaged her brother, asserting she had been kidnapped and demanding a N2 million ransom.

Her brother’s attempts to speak with the purported kidnappers and ascertain their location were met with refusal, and his number was subsequently blocked. Later, the girl unblocked his number and sent an account number belonging to the family friend who was hosting her.

This crucial piece of information led to the unravelling of the plot.

Police tracked the phone, raided the house, and arrested everyone involved in the alleged scheme.

The police spokesperson confirmed that a full investigation has been launched into the incident. While the girl has since been reunited with her family, the matter remains under active police investigation due to her age.