Odahiekwu Ogunde
Lagos State Police Command says that a female teenager, Margaret Ikumu, from Oni community in Oju Local Government Area of Benue State, allegedly faked her own death to avoid financial pressure from her mother.
The command’s spokesman, Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said on May 15, 2020, the command received a petition signed by one Tony Iji on behalf of the family of Margaret, 19.
Elkana said the petitioners indicated that their attention was drawn to a post on Facebook stating that the said Margaret Adiya died a few days ago and was secretly buried by her two friends Marvelous Mary and Nneka Buddy at Ajah area area of Lagos.
He said the family further claimed that they were able to establish contact with the said friends who confirmed to them that their daughter was dead.
He said the friends were allegedly instructed by Margaret not to allow members of her family know anything about her death and that they were authorised by the deceased to secretly bury her.
The command’s spokesman said, “To make them believe that the girl was dead, they sent WhatsApp chats to a member of the girl’s family with picture of a casket showing that the girl had been buried. The known phone number of the girl was permanently switched off. The family also got in touch with a man on phone who claimed to be her boyfriend. He corroborated the claim that she was dead.
“The girl was eventually found by the Police to be alive and working as a home help in an estate at Ajah. When her employer saw the report of her purported death, they quickly informed the Police and she was brought to Ajah Police Station.
“In her statement, she confessed to have created the Facebook account and posted her obituary with intent to keep her family away from her. That her mother was putting financial pressure on her, constantly demanding that she send money to her. The girl is apparently bitter with her mother and uncles, over their inability to sponsor her education after the death of her father. Her sojourn to Lagos is to work, save some money and return to school.”
Elkana said Margaret admitted using her employer daughter’s photograph, Dr Nimechi Ugorji, (without her knowledge) in the fictitious Facebook account she created as profile picture.
He added that after posting the obituary notice on the account, her uncle downloaded the profile picture and reposted it, calling on members of the public who knew the person on the photograph to report to the nearest police Station.
He said that investigation was ongoing to unravel more facts about the matter. Ends…