Pastor And Wife Fake Her Kidnapping, Police Arrests Both

By Ayodele Oni

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a woman and her Pastor- husband for faking her own kidnap.

The incident happened in Ondo town when Mrs  Sanmori Taiwo, a 42-year-old woman, and her husband, Pastor Sanmori Olubumi, raised an alarm that she has been abducted.

Ondo Police Command spokesman, Olusola Ayanlade, in a statement on Wednesday, explained that  the police “uncovered a case of self-kidnapping involving one Mrs. Sanmori Taiwo, a 42-year-old woman, and her husband, Pastor Sanmori Olubumi Joshua, aged 62 years, both residents of Road 5, Power Line, Ondo City.

“On the 23rd of August, 2025, between the hours of 4:00pm and 5:00pm, Mrs. Taiwo deliberately isolated herself in a separate room in their residence and conspired with her husband to stage her own abduction.

“The husband subsequently placed calls to relatives using her mobile phone number, falsely claiming that she had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen who were demanding the sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) as ransom.

“Suspicious of the claims, one of the relatives, Mr. Fasegha Joseph, through a written petition, reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police, CP, Adebowale Lawal psc+, mnips who directed the Command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) to move into action.

“Acting swiftly on the report, an investigation team from the Command anti-kidnapping squad supported by Enu-owa division in Ondo city proceeded to their residence in Ondo town, where Mrs. Taiwo was found.

“She falsely claimed to have just been released by kidnappers after a ransom of Five Million Naira was allegedly paid.

“Upon further interrogation at the Command, Mrs. Taiwo confessed that the abduction was staged as a self-kidnapping scheme, masterminded to extort money from her relatives abroad under the pretence of securing her release.

“She further admitted that her motive was to settle debts and provide for her personal needs. Both she and her husband are currently under investigation, and appropriate legal action will follow.”