Kidnapping, a relatvely new trend in crime has been ravaging the country, particularly the South-East states for some years now.
Although the crime gained prominence in the country in the South-South region where militants abducted both expatriate and indigenous oil workers for ransom, it however shifted to the South-East when the Federal Government granted amnesty to repentant Niger Delta militants.
Notable among those who have fallen victim to kidnappers in the South-East include Nollywood actors, Pete Edochie and Nkem Owo, actress and aide to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Nkiru Sylvanus, and Dr Anayo Edemobi, the younger brother of former Information Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili.
Others were billionaire businessman, Dr Ifeanyi Okoye, the Managing Director of Juhel Pharmaceuticals limited whose mother was also a victim, former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Prof. Ilochi Okafor and Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Cyprain Onyeji.
Even foreign nationals have not been spared by kidnappers in the South-East. Sometime last year, Joe Machimbarena, a Spanish doctor working with Niger Foundation Hospital Enugu was kidnapped. He was later freed when his abductors sealed a deal with the Spanish Embassy in the country.
Except for few of the victims who were successfully freed by security operatives, many of the victims parted with staggering sums of money, often running into millions of naira to buy their freedom from these kidnappers.
Whereas the nomenclature and modus operandi remain mystery of some sort, there has been a consensus of opinion that in every case of kidnap, there must be a victim, a kidnapper or kidnappers and a ransom collected.
But in the case of Samuel Ani, a native of Ugwuaji in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu state, it was different. Ani was the victim, the kidnapper and the ransom collector.
He was arrested by men of Enugu State Police Command for faking his own kidnap in a bid to swindle his brothers who were said to be wealthy.
Ani who is a casket dealer at Gariki Awkunanaw Enugu decided to fake his kidnap because he felt it was the only way he could obtain money from his wealthy brothers.
Daily Independent gathered that he hid himself for six days in a bush at the back of his shop, from where he made distress calls to his brothers that kidnappers were holding him hostage.
He reportedly told two of his brothers in a convincing tone that he had been kidnapped and that the sum of N2 million was required as ransom to get him out of the custody of the kidnappers or else he would be killed.
The brothers were said to have reported the matter to the police initially, but Ani intensified the call, warning that the kidnappers were on the verge of killing him if the bothers failed to bring the ransom, which was later reduced to N1.2 million.
Thereafter, he sent an account number to his brothers, purportedly provided by the kidnappers. His brothers, who were fearful that harm may befall their loved one, lodged some money into the account purportedly provided by the kidnappers.
The lid however blew open on Ani when a young lady who went to the bank to cash the ransom paid by his brothers, was tracked down by policemen from the anti-kidnapping unit of the command.
The lady confessed that she was the fiancée of the victim and that he directed her to go and withdraw the money as soon as she received the alert.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Enugu State Command, Ebere Amaraizu who confirmed our report, said on interrogation, the lady identified herself as Oluchi Faith Ogbu and confessed being the fiancée of Ani.
Amaraizu said she revealed that the account belonged to her but she was instructed by him to supply the number so that his brothers could pay the ransom through the account and that she should cash the money as soon as she received alert of the payment and bring it to him.
“Her revelation however led to the arrest of Samuel who disclosed that he was not kidnapped but maintained that he kidnapped himself so that his wealthy younger brothers can pay money for ransom which he will use to sort out his business dealings.
“He maintained that except what he had done his brothers cannot give him monetary assistance and regretted his actions, pointing out that the step he took was not pleasant before God, man or law and pleaded for forgiveness” the police spokesman said. He said investigations were ongoing in the matter, after which the suspect would be charged to court.
According to Amaraizu, Ani disclosed that he is a father of five but never told Oluchi that he was married but only promised to marry her.
Asked whether he used to make huge sales from casket making, Ani answered in the negative adding that he needed to trick the brothers to get out money from them in order to address his immediate challenges which require huge amount of money.
Amaraizu said the suspect confessed that he was not abducted but that he abducted himself to create tension so that his brothers could pay the ransom for him to use it to solve some personal problems.
He disclosed that the police have commenced investigation into the matter and would surely charge anybody found culpable of the entire hoax to court.
He added that Ani and his girlfriend, Oluchi were in police custody undergoing interrogation.
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