Police Nab 22-Year-Old Over Alleged ₦25m Self-Kidnap Scam in Delta

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old man, Michael James, for allegedly staging his own kidnap in a bid to extort ₦25 million from his relatives.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, disclosed this during a press briefing in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

According to the CP, the Command received a distress report on July 1, 2026, that James, a resident of Idumuesah/Owa-Alero Road, had left home at about 7:30 a.m. to dispose of refuse but failed to return. Shortly afterwards, his family began receiving calls from individuals demanding a ₦25 million ransom for his release.

Oyeniyi said police operatives immediately launched a rescue operation, deploying intelligence-led tactics and cordoning off the surrounding bushes where the suspect was believed to be held.

However, as officers closed in on the area, James suddenly emerged from the bush, claiming he had escaped from his abductors.

The CP said further interrogation exposed the kidnap story as a hoax, with the suspect confessing that he orchestrated the incident himself.

According to his confession, James admitted he had spent money entrusted to him by his sister and devised the fake kidnap plot in an attempt to extort funds from his family to replace it.

The suspect remains in police custody, while investigations are ongoing.