Police arrest man over alleged plot to kidnap 16-year-old girlfriend for N50m ransom

The police in Delta State have arrested a 23-year-old man, Terry Ogbonna, over an alleged plot with his friends to kidnap his 16-year-old girlfriend and demand a N50 million ransom from her mother.

The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, a superintendent of police, disclosed the incident in a video posted on X on Saturday.

According to Mr Edafe, the incident initially sparked panic among residents of the estate where the girl’s parents live, as people reportedly rushed around trying to rescue her.

However, police investigations allegedly revealed that the girl’s boyfriend was involved in the incident.

The girl said she was unaware that her boyfriend intended to kidnap her for ransom, while Mr Ogbonna told the police they had initially agreed to the plan but later changed their minds. He said his friends, however, proceeded with the arrangement after seeing the girl.

Girl recounts alleged kidnapping

During her interview with the police, the girl identified Mr Ogbonna as her boyfriend. “He’s my boyfriend,” she told the police.

She said he came to the estate and took her to his house.

The girl also admitted that her boyfriend had previously raised the idea of faking her kidnapping to obtain money from her mother.

“He brought it up, and I said no.”

She said she later discovered a ransom demand had been sent to her mother after one of her boyfriend’s friends took her phone and she checked her chats.

According to her, the message demanded N50,000 from her mother for her feeding.

“After sometime, he came back, and I showed him the text message and asked, ‘What is the meaning of this?’”

When the police asked at what point the alleged kidnappers demanded N50 million, the girl said she was taken to a riverside and threatened.

“They carried me to the riverside. I was close to the river, and my legs were touching water. They threatened to throw me into the river if my mother does not pay N50 million,” she said.

Police say another resident implicated

Mr Edafe said the suspects allegedly attempted to make another resident of the estate, identified as Theophilus, appear to be the mastermind of the kidnapping.

Theophilus was a co-tenant in the estate where the girl’s parents live.

“This suspect knew the history of Mr Theophilus and the mother, and they set up Mr Theophilus to make it look like Mr Theophilus is the mastermind of the kidnapping. Mr Theophilus was arrested for two days before the truth eventually emerged,” the police spokesperson said.

Suspect admits discussing kidnapping plan

During his interview with the police, Mr Ogbonna said he and his friend, Lucky, planned the kidnapping.

When asked how Lucky knew that Mr Theophilus lived in the same estate and was having issues with the girl’s mother, Mr Ogbonna replied: “I told him about it.”

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He also told the police that the girl stayed in his house for two days.

Mr Ogbonna said he had finished secondary school. He said his mother lived in the village, while his father lived in Asaba in Delta State.

What Nigerian law says about sex with a minor

The case also raises legal questions about Mr Ogbonna’s admission that he had sexual relations with the girl, who is 16.

During the police interview, Mr Ogbonna said he began having sex with his girlfriend three weeks after they started dating “Three months ago”.

He also told the police he was unaware that having sex with someone under 18 was an offence.

Under Section 31 of Nigeria’s Child Rights Act, 2003, sexual intercourse with a child is an offence classified as rape, punishable by life imprisonment upon conviction. The law provides that a child’s consent and the accused person’s belief that the child was 18 or older do not, by themselves, provide a defence to a charge under that section.

If prosecuted and convicted under an applicable provision criminalising sexual intercourse with a child, Mr Ogbonna could face a lengthy prison sentence, potentially life imprisonment under the relevant child-rights provision.

The alleged kidnapping and ransom demand expose the suspects to separate criminal charges, depending on the evidence and the offences established by the police.

Mr Ogbonna’s admission during a police interview does not amount to a court conviction. The allegations must be tested in court, where the prosecution would be required to prove the relevant offences beyond reasonable doubt.