The Edo State Police Command has uncovered a staged kidnapping after unraveling an alleged abduction involving a 21-year-old dispatch officer who reportedly faked his own disappearance to conceal a ₦1.3 million gambling loss.
The suspect, David Ekes, an employee of Dibecs Industry Limited located along the Auchi–Okene Expressway in Okpella, was declared missing on January 30, 2026, prompting an immediate police investigation.
According to the police, the case was first reported by Moses Ekes, the suspect’s uncle, who told officers at the Okpella Police Division that David had been missing since the evening of January 27. He said the dispatch officer left his quarters alone on a black, unregistered motorcycle from Factory 2 to Factory 3—an action said to be against company policy—and was not seen thereafter.
The motorcycle was later found abandoned along the road leading to Factory 3 and recovered to the company’s main office, heightening fears that the young worker had been kidnapped.
Following the report, operatives of the Okpella Police Division swung into action, visiting the area, combing nearby bushes and documenting findings as investigations commenced.
However, in a dramatic twist, police received information the following morning that the missing man had returned on his own and was in a weakened state. He was taken to a hospital in Okpella, where police operatives monitored his condition.
After his discharge, the suspect initially claimed he had been kidnapped by three unidentified men and forced to trek barefoot through the forest for more than three days. He also alleged that his mobile phone was stolen and money withdrawn from his First Bank account during the ordeal.
Further details obtained by this online newspaper revealed that discrete investigations by the police exposed the claim as false. Investigators established that between January 25 and 26, 2026, the suspect lost a total of ₦1,308,000—belonging to his company and a customer—through online gambling on a visual sporty betting platform.
Police said the suspect subsequently travelled to Abuja, sold his mobile phone, lodged in a hotel and deliberately staged his own kidnapping to cover up the financial loss.
Confronted with the findings, David Ekes reportedly confessed to the crime. Police said he will be charged to court to serve as a deterrent to others.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, warned members of the public against false distress reports and acts of criminal deception, noting that such conduct wastes critical security resources and undermines public trust.
The police commissioner also cautioned youths involved in gambling to act responsibly, warning that addiction often leads to desperation and criminal behaviour.
The Edo State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to thorough investigations and accountability, urging residents to cooperate with security agencies by providing truthful and timely information.
