Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
BENIN CITY, Nigeria — The Edo State Police Command has disclosed verified details about a staged kidnapping that was initially reported as a missing‑person case involving an employee of Dibecs Industry Limited in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area. Nigerian media reports and official police sources indicate that the incident was not a genuine abduction but was fabricated by the missing employee himself to conceal a financial loss he had incurred.
According to police investigations, the employee, identified as David Ekes, reportedly went missing on January 27, 2026 after losing approximately ₦1.3 million belonging to the company and a customer through online gambling on a visual sports betting platform. Rather than report the loss, Ekes allegedly fabricated an abduction narrative to hide what had happened.
Edo State Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikoedem confirmed that initial concern for Ekes’s safety prompted his brother to report him missing at the Okpella Police Division, leading to an official search and investigation. During inquiries, police tracked a series of movements inconsistent with the claimed abduction, including evidence that Ekes had travelled to Abuja, checked into a hotel, and sold his mobile phone shortly after disappearing.
When he later returned to the state and sought medical attention in Okpella, Ekes initially told investigators that he had been abducted by three armed men who forced him to trek through the forest for days, stole his phone and withdrew cash from his bank account. He also claimed the abductors took his money.
However, discrete police investigations revealed that between January 25 and January 26, Ekes had lost a total of ₦1,308,000 through gambling, prompting him to depart under false pretences to Abuja before returning to Edo State. The staged abduction was reportedly aimed at concealing this loss.
Edo police say Ekes confessed to staging his own kidnapping and concocting the false story to conceal his actions. Authorities have stated that he will be arraigned in court on charges related to the false report and other offences, a move officials say is intended to deter similar conduct that misuses security resources.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns within the state about false abduction claims that can distract from genuine security challenges such as highway kidnappings and rural attacks. Edo State security agencies have been actively pursuing organised criminal networks in recent months, disrupting hideouts and arresting alleged gang members, even as they caution residents against misleading reports that could hamper legitimate law enforcement work.
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