A 22-year-old woman, Nwachukwu Chidubem Blessing, was reportedly kidnapped along the Onitsha–Asaba Expressway on August 29, 2026, in Anambra State. Her family subsequently paid ₦3 million in ransom, but she was not released. The Anambra State Police Command investigated the circumstances surrounding the reported kidnapping and eventually traced Blessing to a room in Asaba, Delta State.
According to the Anambra State Police Command, preliminary findings suggest that the reported kidnapping may have been staged. Police allege that Blessing worked with a female associate identified as Onyinye and another male accomplice whose identity has not been established. The trio allegedly planned the abduction to obtain money from Blessing's family.
On September 18, 2026, police operatives recovered Blessing from a room in Asaba. The command's spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed that Blessing is assisting investigators with information as police work to establish what happened and identify the alleged accomplices.
The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has ordered that the investigation be intensified and that anyone found culpable be brought to justice. Blessing is currently being investigated over allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and self-kidnapping. There is no indication that she has been formally charged in court.
This case is not the first alleged case of self-kidnapping reported in Anambra. In July 2025, police arrested 28-year-old university student Chinecherem Nwaokoye after alleging that she staged her kidnapping with two others and obtained ₦1 million from her family. Similar cases have been reported in the state, highlighting a growing trend of self-kidnapping aimed at extorting relatives.
Kidnapping is punishable by severe penalties under Nigeria's Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Section 24 of the Act provides for life imprisonment where a kidnapping or hostage-taking offence does not result in death, and the death penalty where the act results in death. The police are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding Blessing's case.
The investigation is ongoing, with police yet to arrest Blessing's alleged accomplices. The case has raised concerns about the prevalence of self-kidnapping in Anambra State and the need for increased vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public to prevent such incidents.
Key points
- A 22-year-old woman in Anambra was found alive in Asaba after her family paid ₦3 million ransom.
- Police allege that the woman, Nwachukwu Chidubem Blessing, staged the kidnapping with two accomplices to obtain money from her family.
- The case highlights a growing trend of self-kidnapping in Anambra State aimed at extorting relatives.
