A family’s desperate search for a woman they believed had been kidnapped took an unexpected turn after police reportedly discovered that the alleged victim was staying in a hotel with another man in Delta State.
The woman, identified as Oluchi, had been reported missing by her family, who claimed she was abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Edo State. Following the reported kidnapping, relatives launched appeals for help after receiving demands for N50 million, which were later reduced to N20 million.
Her daughter, Anita, who lives in Canada, was among those who publicly appealed for support, urging people to assist in raising funds for her mother’s release.
However, investigations by security operatives reportedly led detectives to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where Oluchi was found alongside a man alleged to be her lover.
According to sources familiar with the case, police tracked the man’s phone number to the hotel and subsequently uncovered what they believe was a staged kidnapping plot.
The development left the family stunned, particularly Anita, who said she had no knowledge of the alleged arrangement and only wanted her mother safely returned home.
“My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family,” she said in a video posted online.
She added that no ransom was paid and that all funds raised during the campaign for her mother’s release would be returned.
“We now know it was not a real kidnapping. They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship,” Anita said.
The incident has sparked widespread reactions online, with many expressing sympathy for the family while awaiting further action from law enforcement authorities.
