Woman fakes own kidnap, demands ransom from her mother in Benue

The Benue State Police Command has arrested a young woman for allegedly staging a fake kidnapping to extort money from her mother.

The spokesperson for the command, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 said the suspect, Mary Torkuma, was arrested alongside her accomplice, Evergreen Samuel. 

According to the PPRO, the command uncovered the alleged plot following an intelligence-driven investigation by operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

The police said the case was reported on July 15, 2026, after Miss Mary Torkuma of Akpehe, Makurdi, reportedly left her apartment on July 12 to visit a friend in the North Bank area of the state capital. 

The following day, her mother, who resides in Lagos State, allegedly received a phone call from an unknown number claiming that her daughter had been kidnapped and demanding ransom.

Acting swiftly on the report, VCRU operatives launched an investigation that led them to a hotel in the Ankpa Quarters area of Makurdi, where Mary Torkuma was found alongside her accomplice, Miss Evergreen Samuel, who had travelled from Abia State.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the two women allegedly conspired to stage the kidnapping in a bid to deceive the victim’s mother into paying ransom.

The suspects are currently in police custody, while investigations continue. 

Police said they will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Cletus C.N. Nwadiogbu, warned members of the public against engaging in criminal acts, including staging fake kidnapping incidents.

He noted that such actions divert critical security resources from genuine emergencies and are punishable under the law.

The Command reiterated its commitment to intelligence-led policing and urged residents to report suspicious activities promptly to the nearest police station or through its emergency lines, 08066006475 and 07067374913.