A married mother, identified as Oluchi, whose family asked for the public’s help in raising funds for her ransom payment after she was kidnapped, has been found in a hotel with her lover.
The family of Mrs Oluchi believed she had been kidnapped and her husband Mr Tony reported to the police that his wife was abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
Oluchi, a business woman at Ramat Park, Benin City, Edo State, went missing on May 27, 2026.
Subsequently, a number called the family that Oluchi had been kidnapped and demanded a 50 million Naira ransom for her release.
The family posted a picture of Mrs Oluchi on social media, asking for help from the general public.
Mrs Oluchi’s daughter, who lives in Canada, led the fundraiser as she begged for help in rescuing her mother.
Harmony Ladies Club, a club Mrs Oluchi belongs to, also joined in soliciting funds to secure her release.
However, investigations by the police led operatives to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where the woman was found.
According to Punch, police tracked the phone number used to demand the ransom and it led them to one of the suspects in the hotel.
When police arrived the hotel, they met a man identified as Mr Israel Ability with the “kidnapped” woman, Mrs Oluchi.
“Police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel,” a source told Punch.
According to the source, the woman’s husband was later informed of the development after police operatives made the discovery.
Reacting to the incident in a now-viral video, the woman’s daughter, Anita, expressed shock over the outcome of the investigation, saying the family had been devastated by the development.
“My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mum,” she said.
Anita said the family had worked closely with law enforcement authorities throughout the period of the reported abduction and had not paid any ransom before her mother’s recovery.
“We were called that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact. We are going to make a refund. We involved the Police from the beginning. We now know it was not a real kidnapping,” she said.
She further alleged that investigators informed the family that her mother and another individual had agreed to obtain part of the funds that had already been raised.
“They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m,” she said.
Anita described the development as emotionally traumatic for the family.
“This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate,” she stated.
The Harmony Ladies Club also reacted to the development, expressing disappointment over the outcome of the case. They have distanced themselves from Mrs Oluchi.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, CSP Moses Yamu, said four persons had been arrested in connection with the case.
“I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have also been arrested in connection with the incident,” he said.
Police said investigations into the matter are ongoing.
