A 31-year-old man has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly attempting to kidnap his aunt, the woman who raised him from the age of five.
The suspect, Chukwemeka Destiny, was paraded on Saturday by the police spokesperson, Edafe Bright, who said the suspect paid a total of N900,000 to individuals he believed were kidnappers to abduct the woman.
According to the police, Destiny allegedly made two payments: an initial N200,000 deposit followed by a second transfer of N700,000.
The plan, however, collapsed when the men he contacted turned out not to be kidnappers.
Bright said instead of carrying out the crime, the men used Destiny as bait, lured him to a location and handed him over to the police, thereby preventing the abduction.
“Unknown to him, the people he contacted were not kidnappers. They rather used him as bait, got him and handed him over to the police, thereby saving the life of his aunt,” the spokesman said.
The police described the case as part of a troubling trend in which individuals turn against those who once supported them.
Bright cited previous incidents involving workers and security personnel allegedly attacking their benefactors for financial gain.
Investigators said Destiny lived with his aunt for about 10 years, from the age of five until 15, before leaving the family home and cutting off contact.
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“All of a sudden something just came up to his mind to kidnap his auntie who trained him and saw him through school,” Bright said.
During interrogation, Destiny admitted his involvement but said he could not explain his motive.
He later attributed his actions to negative influence when questioned further.
The suspect told police he is married with two children and runs a haulage and building materials business, adding that the money used in the alleged plot came from his business earnings.
The aunt, who identified Destiny as the son of her elder sister, said she was shocked when she learned of the alleged plan.
She told journalists that after leaving her home as a teenager, he never returned to visit, despite occasionally being seen in the neighbourhood.
When asked whether she wanted leniency for her nephew, she said the law should be allowed to take its full course.
Bright commended her position, stressing that firm legal consequences were necessary to deter similar crimes.
Destiny is currently being held by the Raiders Squad of the Delta State Police Command while investigations continue.