Two Women Arrested for Fake Kidnapping in Benue

The Benue State Police Command arrested two women, Mary Torkuma and Evergreen Samuel, for allegedly staging a fake kidnapping scheme aimed at extorting money from Torkuma's family. According to police spokesperson DSP Peter Aondongu, Torkuma left her home in Akpehe, Makurdi, on July 12, 2026, to visit Samuel in North Bank.

On July 15, Torkuma's mother, residing in Lagos State, received a ransom demand claiming her daughter had been abducted. The police's Violence Crime Response Unit conducted an intelligence-driven investigation that led them to a hotel in the Ankpa Quarters area of Makurdi, where Torkuma and Samuel were found together.

It was revealed that Samuel had traveled from Abia State to participate in the scheme. Both suspects are currently in police custody, and investigations are ongoing, with plans to charge them in court.

Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu warned against such criminal activities, emphasizing their impact on genuine emergencies.