The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested four individuals, including two sisters, for orchestrating a fake kidnapping plot aimed at extorting ₦5 million from their father.
In a statement released Tuesday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the case began on July 18, 2025, when Mr. Innocent, a resident of Jikwoyi Phase II, reported his 16-year-old daughter, Lead Way Innocent, missing. According to him, she had left home that morning to sit for an examination at Government Secondary School, Karu, but never returned.
Shortly after, he received a phone call from unknown individuals demanding ₦5 million for her release.
“Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer of Jikwoyi Division immediately launched a discreet investigation,” the statement read. “Through coordinated intelligence gathering and digital tracking, the phone number used to contact the complainant was traced to a residence in Jikwoyi Phase II.”
When officers stormed the location, they found Lead Way Innocent in the company of one Mrs. Tina Mayowa — the wife of Mr. Mayowa Adedeji. The two were reportedly seen eating and conversing freely, with no signs of duress or captivity.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Lead Way’s elder sister, Joy Innocent, and her boyfriend, Mayowa Adedeji, who is legally married to Mrs. Tina.
“Findings revealed that Joy conspired with her boyfriend, Adedeji, to stage her younger sister’s abduction in a calculated attempt to defraud their father of ₦5 million,” the police stated.
Lead Way was also found to be complicit in the scheme. “She willingly stayed with the suspects throughout the period of the so-called abduction, while Joy remained at home and pretended to be unaware — all while watching her parents endure emotional distress,” the statement added.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, condemned the act, describing it as a “shocking betrayal, particularly within a family.” He urged parents to pay closer attention to their children’s emotional and behavioural wellbeing, and to foster open, honest communication at home.
All four suspects are in police custody and have reportedly confessed to the crime. They will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.
The command also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.
