Police detain undergraduate for faking own abduction, death

The police in Imo State, South-east Nigeria, said they have detained 17-year-old Jesse Chidebere, a student of Imo State University (IMSU) for faking her own abduction and death.

Henry Okoye, the police spokesperson in Imo, disclosed this in a statement issued in Owerri and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, noted that the hoax caused significant distress to Chidebere’s family and the university community.

The statement read in part: “On 26 October, at approximately 10:00 p.m., police received a distress call from concerned citizens, reporting Chidebere missing.

“A message sent from her WhatsApp account claimed she had been abducted and killed, urging her family to go to the Orji Police Station for confirmation.

“In response, police operatives launched a search and discovered the following morning, 27 October, that Chidebere was alive and had fabricated the story as a prank on social media.”

Mr Okoye added that investigation was ongoing to ascertain her motive for the mischief, adding that she would face prosecution.

He further stated that the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, expressed concern over the “irresponsible behavior, which wasted valuable resources and caused public panic”.

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He urged parents to caution their children against engaging in dangerous pranks and spreading misinformation.

“The command remains committed to combating misinformation and ensuring a safe environment for all and sundry in the state,” the spokesperson stressed.