Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have uncovered a staged abduction orchestrated by a newly-wed woman in a desperate attempt to recover wedding expenses.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the command, SP Bright Edafe, said what was initially believed to be a case of kidnapping later turned out to be a self-abducted case.

He told The Guardian in Asaba that the operatives arrested all suspects involved in the criminal deceit, stating that the law would take its full course.

Edafe explained that the command received a distress report about the abduction of a female victim by unknown armed men in the Bonsaac area of Asaba on July 21, 2025, about 8.30pm.

The Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, reportedly acted swiftly on the report, and ordered the Commander of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, CSP Godwin Osadolor, to lead a rescue operation, which was successful.

A coordinated intelligence-led effort led to the arrest of one Alfred Elisha at Koka Roundabout and Ugochukwu Adim, off DLA Road, both in Asaba, on July 22, 2025, about 9.00 am.

Upon interrogation, Elisha confessed that the abduction was staged, in collaboration with the victim. The confession led officers to the mastermind of the act, 29-year-old Merit Eleh.

During questioning, Eleh admitted to faking her own abduction to extort money from her family. She confessed that her brother had given her a loan of N3.6 million to finance her bridal shower and hotel expenses for her March 2025 wedding.

Unable to repay the debt, she devised the fake kidnapping scheme, according to her confession, receive a ransom of N3 million, shared N500,000 with her accomplices and kept the remaining N2.5 million for herself.

All suspects involved in the plot are in police custody while investigations are ongoing.