MEN of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested local housewife Abigail Brown for kidnapping her two children and pretending they were abducted by hoodlums in a desperate bid to obtain a ransom from her husband.

According to police investigations, Mrs Brown and her husband’s former driver, identified simply as ThankGod, were said to have kidnapped the two children and then called the husband, asking him to pay a ransom to secure their release. Apparently, she hid the two children, aged two and 10 at her sister’s place and then asked her husband for N6m (£21,000) to secure their release.

However, police later uncovered the plot and swooped, rescuing the children and arresting their mother, who confessed to the crime adding that that it was frustration that made her do it, adding that she had no means of survival. She claimed that her husband had abandoned her and the two children to suffer, pointing out that the kidnap was the only means of making some money from him.

Abigail said: “I did it because of frustration as my husband abandoned me and my children. Since he left us and went away, I have been suffering with my children and I know that he has money.

 “I only did it to make him bring money for me to take care of the children we had together. I did not demand up to that amount but I demanded money from my husband."

It is expected that her and the former driver will now be charged to court where they will face kidnapping and extortion charges. ThankGod, the former driver to Abigail's husband, who accepted taking part in the act, said his former boss’ wife contacted him.

ThankGod said: “She called me to help her and she told me to take the two children to her sister’s place and that is how I got involved. She used me to act as the kidnapper of the two children before we were arrested, she lured me into it.”