ASABA/Nigeria: A young bride who allegedly faked her own kidnapping to raise funds for her wedding expenses has been arrested by operatives of the Delta State Police Command, along with two male accomplices, in what authorities described as a disturbing trend of self-orchestrated abductions.
Confirming the development in a statement on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, described the incident as “deeply troubling” and warned that the command will not tolerate attempts to exploit the security system for selfish gains.
“This is a deeply troubling case of a woman orchestrating her own kidnapping to defraud her family,” Edafe stated. “We want to make it absolutely clear that anyone who abuses the trust of the public and the security apparatus will face the full weight of the law.”
The incident began on July 21, 2025, at about 8:30 p.m., when the command received a report of a suspected kidnap involving a female victim allegedly abducted by armed men in the Bonsaac area of Asaba. Acting swiftly, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, directed the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, headed by CSP Godwin Osadolor, to ensure the victim’s rescue.
Following a coordinated intelligence-led operation, police operatives arrested one Alfred Elisha at Koka Roundabout and another suspect, Ugochukwu Adim, off DLA Road, both in Asaba, by 9:00 a.m. the next day. During interrogation, Elisha reportedly confessed that the abduction was staged and that the so-called victim was part of the plot.
This confession led officers to arrest the woman in question, identified as 29-year-old Merit Eleh. According to police, she confessed to masterminding the fake kidnap in order to repay a debt she incurred while preparing for her wedding in March 2025.
“She stated that she borrowed three million, six hundred thousand naira from her brother, which she used for her bridal shower and hotel accommodation,” Edafe revealed. “Unable to repay, she faked her kidnapping, collected three million naira from her family as ransom, gave ₦500,000 to her accomplices, and kept ₦2.5 million for herself.”
All three suspects are now in custody as investigations continue.
The statement used the opportunity to caution the public, saying, “Such criminal behaviour undermines the seriousness of actual kidnapping cases. The police will not hesitate to prosecute anyone found staging crimes for personal gain.”
