The Edo State Police Command has revealed that a resident of Emaudo, Ekpoma sold his property to pay ransom for his brother only to realize that the reported abduction was fake.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the state, SP Eno Ikoedem said the fake abduction was reported to the command on January 10.

According to the PPRO, the suspect, Idris Isiaka, a vulcanizer of Balogun Street, Emaudo Community, Ekpoma, who deliberately staged his own kidnap along with two others has been arrested.

The PPRO explained that the suspect “immediately engineered the circulation of his kidnap on social media through a blogger and demanded a ransom of Twelve Million Naira.

“His family in Kogi State was further contacted, threatening that he would be killed if the ransom was not paid”.

He said the brother, however, “sold his property and paid part of the ransom money which was shared with his accomplices, one Mohammed Saliu and Godwin Mohammed, both of whom are currently at large.

“The suspect has confessed to the crime. He will be arraigned in court after investigation”.