Imo State University student Jesse Chidebere, 17, has been arrested by the Imo Police Command for pretending to be kidnapped and killed.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement issued in Owerri and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday.
Okoye noted that the hoax caused significant distress to Chidebere’s family and the university community.
The statement read in part: “On October 26, at approximately 10:00 p.m., police received a distress call from concerned citizens, reporting Chidebere missing.
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“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, October 27, that Chidebere was alive and had fabricated the story as a prank on social media.”
The PPRO added that an investigation was ongoing to ascertain her motive for the mischief, adding that she would face prosecution.
He further stated that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Aboki Danjuma, expressed concern over the “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.
“The command remains committed to combating misinformation and ensuring a safe environment for all and sundry in the state,” he stressed.
