The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested Helen Kayode, a graduating student of Ekiti State University (EKSU), for allegedly faking her own kidnapping in order to spend time with her boyfriend. The arrest was announced on Thursday, following an investigation that uncovered the hoax, which initially caused widespread panic across Iworoko-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti.

According to the command’s spokesperson, SP Sunday Abutu, Helen had sent a distress message to her sister on May 1, claiming she had entered the wrong bus and been kidnapped. The message, which quickly went viral on social media, created public fear and disrupted the peace in the area. She further claimed to be held hostage in an uncompleted building surrounded by bushes, raising concerns about safety and security in the state.

However, police investigations revealed that the student was not kidnapped but had willingly stayed overnight with her boyfriend in Ado-Ekiti before heading to Lagos. During questioning, Helen confessed she made up the kidnapping story to avoid returning home, as her parents had insisted, so she could celebrate her birthday with her boyfriend, who promised her a “surprise package.”

Reacting to the incident, the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, condemned the act and emphasized that spreading false information that could incite panic is a serious offence. He stated that the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, reiterating the command’s commitment to maintaining peace and ensuring that anyone who disrupts public order faces the full weight of the law.