Abuja man allegedly stages own kidnapping to raise ₦4m for Christmas travel

An Abuja-based security guard identified as Sunday has been arrested after allegedly staging his own kidnapping in a bid to extort ₦4 million from his family to fund his Christmas travel.

Sunday made the disclosure during an interrogation, according to a video shared on Facebook on Wednesday by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh.

In the video, the suspect reportedly confessed that he planned the fake abduction to pressure his relatives into raising money, claiming he needed the funds to travel to his village for the Christmas celebration. The scheme involved contacting family members with false claims that he had been kidnapped and that a ransom was required for his release.

Police authorities said the incident came to light after inconsistencies in the ransom demands raised suspicion, prompting an investigation that led to Sunday’s arrest.

Reacting to the development, the FCT Police Command warned members of the public against staging or participating in fake crimes, stressing that such acts waste security resources and constitute serious criminal offences under the law.

The police added that investigations are ongoing and that the suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of inquiries.