The Edo State Police Command has uncovered that a
21-year-old dispatch officer who was earlier reported missing deliberately
staged his own kidnapping to conceal financial losses linked to online
gambling.
The incident was confirmed in a statement issued on
Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu.
According to the police, the case was first reported
on January 30, 2026, at about 4:00 p.m., when one Moses Ekes alerted the
Okpella Police Division that his nephew, David Ekes, an employee of Dibecs
Industry Limited, had been missing since January 27.
The statement explained that David Ekes, a dispatch
officer with the company, left his residence around 8:30 p.m. on January 27,
riding a black, unregistered motorcycle from Factory 2 to Factory 3—an action
that reportedly violated company policy. He was not seen or heard from
afterward. His motorcycle was later found abandoned along the road leading to
Factory 3 and recovered to the company’s main office.
Following the report, operatives of the Okpella Police
Division visited the area, searched the surrounding bushes, and launched an
investigation.
In a dramatic turn of events, police said they
received information the next morning, January 31, at about 8:00 a.m., that the
missing worker had returned on his own in a frail condition. He was taken to a
hospital in Okpella, where officers monitored his recovery.
After his discharge, Ekes initially claimed he had
been abducted by three unknown men who allegedly forced him to trek barefoot
through the forest for more than three days. He also alleged that his Tecno
Camon phone was stolen and money withdrawn from his First Bank account during
the ordeal.
However, further investigation revealed a different
story. Police said Ekes had actually travelled to Abuja shortly after the
incident, sold his mobile phone, lodged in a hotel, and fabricated the
kidnapping to cover up missing funds.
According to the command, investigations showed that
between January 25 and 26, 2026, the suspect lost a total of ?1.308
million—belonging to his employer and a customer—through online gambling on a
virtual sports betting platform.
“The suspect has confessed to the crime and will be
arraigned in court to serve as a deterrent to others,” the police said.
Reacting to the incident, the Edo State Commissioner
of Police, Monday Agbonika, warned the public against filing false distress
reports, noting that such actions waste valuable security resources and erode
public trust.
He also cautioned young people against reckless
gambling, warning that addiction often leads to desperation and criminal
behaviour.
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