In a bizarre case of self-kidnapping, a 400-level student of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, identified as Nelson Eserada, has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command for staging his own abduction and demanding a ransom of N50 million in bitcoin.
According to the police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, Eserada was apprehended on Monday, June 10, alongside an accomplice, Jerry Lawrence.
Eserada's father had already paid a ransom of N5 million through a bitcoin account linked to Lawrence.
The incident came to light after Eserada's father reported the alleged kidnapping to the police.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Abraka, SP Fabian Ayameh, initiated a technical intelligence-led investigation that led to the arrest of Lawrence on June 10.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Eserada had conspired with Lawrence to stage the abduction. Eserada sent a video to his father, showing himself bound and being tortured, to substantiate the kidnapping claim.
The police have confirmed that Eserada's father had paid a total of N5.2 million in ransom through Lawrence's bitcoin account.
Both suspects are currently in police custody, and further investigations are underway.
This case highlights the growing trend of cybercrime in Nigeria, where criminals exploit digital currencies like bitcoin to demand ransoms.
It also underscores the importance of robust technical investigations in uncovering such deceptive crimes.
