Shocking: 17-year-old boy fakes own ‘kidnap’, demands N6m ransom from mum

By Ngozi Uwujare

Obinna Nwatu, a teenager and Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3 student of Good Shepherd Secondary School, Umuahia, Abia State, who recently organised his own ‘abduction’, has been telling the police the motive for faking his own kidnap.

The 17-year-old boy was recently arrested by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Abia State Police Command. He had connived with another young man to organise his own kidnap in order to extort money from – wait for it – his mother!

Obinna hid inside a hotel for three days even as he allegedly conspired with his gang member, Chinaza Ugorji. They demanded a ransom of N6 million from Obinna’s mum, Mrs Rose Nwatu.

The mother later paid N200,000 to the two-man gang at Okpuala Ngwa in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.

The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Janet Agbede told Saturday Sun that the saga started on September 17, 2021 when the suspect, Obinna Nwatu ‘abducted’ himself after meeting with a friend, Chinaza Ugorji a.k.a “Wizzy”, with whom he had been friends on Facebook since 2017.

“They both planned on how to get money. And one of the ways to achieve that purpose, they reasoned, was to collect N6million from Obinna’s mother, Mrs Rose Nwatu,” CP Agbede said.

The police boss informed Saturday Sun that the two decided to meet another teenager, 19-year-old Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe at the latter’s shop in Aba, Abia State and requested for his bank account details. They told Chinaza that they wanted to use the bank account details to receive the school fees of their younger sister. The CP explained that Chinaza then gave them the bank account details.

“Also, the suspect, Obinna Nwatu. on September 17, went and hid himself inside a hotel along Rhema University Road, Aba. He stayed there for three days and his gang member, Chinaza Ugorji started calling Nwatu’s mother, Mrs Rose Nwatu, saying Obinna had been kidnapped and demanding a N6 million ransom. After negotiations, the woman paid N200, 000 into the bank account of Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe. The suspect, Chinaza Ugorji, who is at large, went and withdrew the money and was nowhere to be found,” the police commissioner said.

CP Agbede explained further: “The incident was first reported at Isiala Ngwa Police Station on September 18, and the police started investigations immediately. Later it was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad on October 4, 2021. The Anti-Kidnapping operatives swung into action and arrested Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe whose bank account Mrs Rose Nwatu paid the ransom of N200, 000 into. 

“It was the victim, Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe who revealed that it was Obinna Nwatu and Chinaza Ugorji a.k.a “Wizzy” who came to his shop and collected his bank account details from him. That was what led the Anti-Kidnapping operatives to arrest Obinna Nwatu on October 7, 2021 and he confessed to have kidnapped himself.”

The suspect’s brother, Wisdom Nwatu also spoke to Saturday Sun: He said: “I went to Isiala Ngwa Police Station on September 18, 2021 and reported that my younger brother, Obinna Nwatu was kidnapped along Stadium Road, Okpuala Ngwo to an  unknown destination by  hoodlums operating in an Ash colour Sienna with an unknown registration number. My brother, Obinna Nwatu went to buy recharge card that evening when the incident occurred. It was later that the kidnappers called my mother and demanded a ransom of N6million. After much pressure, my mother paid N200, 000 into the bank account of the kidnappers.

“I was shocked when my brother. Obinna was arrested for the kidnapping. He confessed that he kidnapped himself to extort money from our mother, Mrs Rose Nwatu. Obinna is the black sheep in the family.”

The suspect, Obinna Nwatu, also explained how the incident happened to Saturday Sun. He said: “I attended Prince and Princess Primary School, and from there proceeded to Good Shepherd Secondary School Umuahia. I am an SS3 student of the school. I met Chinaza Ugorji on Facebook in 2017 when I was 13 years old. We always had conversations together. It was Chinaza Ugorji who introduced me to kidnapping. He told me that he needed money. We decided to meet Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe and requested for his bank account number and we deceived him that we want to use it to receive the school fees of my younger sister and he gave it to us.

“I hail from Obikabia in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State. My father is dead while my mother is alive. I hate my mother, Mrs Rose Nwatu. She has been so stingy, and whenever I need money, she would not give it to me. I lived in a boarding school.

“I ‘kidnapped’ myself and hid inside the hotel for three days while my friend extorted money from my mother. I gave him my mother’s phone number. It was Chinaza Ugorji who was calling my mother and threatening her that they would kill me if she didn’t pay the ransom demanded. It was later my mother paid N200, 000 to the bank account of Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe.

“Later, after the money was paid, it was Chinaza Ugorji who called me on the phone saying that my mother had paid N200,000  as ransom. I left the hotel after spending three days, and immediately, Chinaza Ugorji went and withdrew the N200, 000. I told him to give me my own share, and he told me we would see later. He took the N200, 000 away. I didn’t get one kobo from the money. It was after Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe had been arrested that I was also arrested by the Anti-Kidnapping operatives. I have regretted what I did. Is it the stress my mother went through? I want my family to forgive me. It is a big lesson for me.”

The suspect’s mother, Mrs Rose Nwatu also spoke with Saturday Sun. Her words: “It was a terrible incident in my life. I never thought of it that in my life, my own son, Obinna would be involved in kidnapping. When the Anti-Kidnapping operatives came to arrest my son, I disagreed with them. I believe so much in my son that he can never be involved in kidnapping. When the kidnappers were calling for ransom, I didn’t hear my own son’s voice. It was still a shock when my son, Obinna was arrested. He confessed that he was the mastermind and that he conspired with a gang member to extort me of N200, 000. I do care for my son; this is just a lesson for him. I lost my husband some years back, I am the one who is caring for the family.”

CP Agbede said that Obinna would soon be charged to court while the police are still after the other suspect, Ugorji, who has absconded. 

The police boss urged the public to always give the police useful information to enable them to move fast and arrest the fleeing suspect.