Asaba, Delta State – The Delta State Police Command has successfully dismantled a suspected self-kidnapping scheme, arresting the alleged mastermind and two accomplices after a N3 million ransom was collected. The development was disclosed on Monday by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, in Asaba, the state capital.
Edafe stated that the command continues to achieve significant operational milestones in its relentless fight against crime and criminality within the state, highlighting this specific arrest as a testament to their efforts.
According to the PPRO, the saga began on July 21, 2025, when the Delta State Police Command received a report of a kidnapping incident. A female victim was allegedly abducted by unknown armed men in the Ajaji (Bonsaac) Layout of Asaba.
Acting swiftly on the report, the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, immediately directed the Commander of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, Godwin Osadolor, to ensure the victim’s safe rescue.
The command, under Osadolor’s leadership, launched a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation. Through diligent investigative efforts and strategic deployment, operatives apprehended one Alfred Elisha at the Koka Roundabout, Asaba, on July 22, 2025. This was followed by the arrest of another suspect, Ugochukwu Adim, off DLA Road, Asaba, on the same day.
Upon interrogation, Alfred Elisha reportedly confessed that the incident was not an actual kidnapping but an elaborate plot orchestrated between himself and the supposed victim. Elisha’s crucial revelation led directly to the arrest of the alleged victim herself, identified as 29-year-old Merit Eleh.
The suspects are currently in police custody, and investigations are ongoing to uncover further details and potential accomplices in the fraudulent scheme. The Delta State Police Command reiterates its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and will continue to pursue criminals relentlessly.
