Missing Ogun banker faked abduction over N1.7m debt – Police

The Ogun State Police Command announced on Tuesday that Olumide Openaike, an employee of Kemta Oloko, a microfinance bank, who was reported missing and discovered in Mokwa, Niger State, had staged his kidnapping due to a N1.7 million debt.

Our correspondent received confirmation of this on Tuesday from SP Omolola Odutola, the state police command spokesperson.

The banker Temitope's wife had described to reporters how her husband Olumide vanished on January 17 while he was travelling to work.

Yet Temitope had informed our correspondent on Thursday that "my husband has been found in a place called Mokwa in Niger State. I am happy to tell you about this." Tuesday afternoon, I got a call from him.
"He obtained the phone from a resident there, who claimed that his phone was taken by the people who kidnapped him. After telling him to file a report at the local police station, the on-duty policeman informed us that he was in Mokwa.

After that, transportation funds were arranged and sent to him; his family is in Ibadan, and he arrived there yesterday, Wednesday, where he slept. He intends to return to Abeokuta today.

The banker's alleged kidnapping has been called phoney by the police, though.

Odutola told our correspondent that the police had discovered that Olumide Openaike, the banker, had staged his kidnapping in order to avoid paying a debt of N1.7 million. The funds are the property of the bank where he works.
“What happened was that a customer was remitting the money to the bank but Openaike was diverting it to personal use. He said he then got depressed and decided to fake his abduction. He is already detained by the police.”