The Imo State Police Command has arrested a 17-year-old lady addressed as Jesse Chidiebere, a student of Imo State University, IMSU, who faked her kidnapping and death.
A press statement by the public relations officer of the command, ASP Henry Okoye, informed that her arrest was effected by the Orji Police Divisional Headquarters on October 26, 2024, at 10 pm after receiving a distress call from concerned citizens reporting her missing. The situation reportedly caused public unrest as her family and the university community were thrown into panic.
According to the statement, 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.
Okoye further stated that in responding to the distress call, police operatives launched a search and discovered the following morning, October 27, 2024, that Chidebere was alive and had fabricated the story as a prank on social media.
The police spokesperson further informed that an investigation is ongoing to ascertain her motives for such mischief, noting that she would certainly face prosecution.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, in his reaction to the development, expressed concern over the act, describing it as irresponsible behaviour, which wasted valuable resources and caused public panic.
He urged parents to caution their children against engaging in dangerous pranks and spreading misinformation, maintaining that the command remains committed to combating misinformation and ensuring a safe environment for all and sundry in the state.
