JUST IN: Police arrest pastor, wife for faking kidnap
By Boye Oyeyemi –
Ondo State Police Command has arrested a married couple, Pastor Sanmori Olubumi Joshua, 62, and his wife, Mrs Sanmori Taiwo, 42, for allegedly staging a self-kidnapping in Ondo City.
The couple, who are residents of Power Line area, reportedly plotted the scheme to extort money from relatives abroad.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement signed by DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), on behalf of the Commissioner of Police.
“On August 23, 2025, Mrs. Taiwo deliberately secluded herself in a room while her husband called relatives claiming she had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen demanding a ransom of ₦10 million,” the statement said.
The plot came to light after a relative, Mr. Fasegha O. Joseph, reported the suspicious claims to CP Adebowale Lawal.
The Police said the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, supported by Enu-owa Police Division, traced Mrs. Taiwo to their residence, where she had claimed she was released following a fictitious ransom payment of ₦5 million.
“The scheme was designed to extort money from our relatives abroad to settle debts and meet personal needs,” Mrs. Taiwo admitted.
“Both she and her husband are now under investigation, with the police promising appropriate legal action,” the statement added.
