Edo: 21-year-old dispatch rider in police net for gambling with company, customers’ N1.3m
Dispatch Rider Arrested After Alleged Embezzlement and Faked Kidnapping
BENIN CITY, Edo State — The Edo State Police Command has apprehended a 21-year-old dispatch rider, David Ekes, for allegedly misappropriating N1.3 million belonging to his employer and customers through online gambling.
According to a statement released by Assistant Superintendent of Police Eno Ikoedem on Monday, Ekes, an employee of Dibecs Industry Limited in Okpella, is accused of staging his own kidnapping.
The incident came to light when Moses Ekes, a relative of the suspect, reported the young man’s disappearance to the Okpella Police Division on January 30, 2026. He claimed that David Ekes had not been seen since January 27, when he left his company quarters to travel on an unregistered motorcycle from Factory 2 to Factory 3, which contradicts company policy.
Authorities later found the motorcycle abandoned along a road leading to Factory 3 and returned it to the company’s main office. Following the report, police operatives conducted a search of the surrounding area but did not locate Ekes.
On January 31, just hours after the missing person’s report was filed, David Ekes returned and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Initially, he told police that he had been kidnapped by three men who forced him to walk barefoot through the forest for three days. He claimed his mobile phone was stolen, and funds were withdrawn from his bank account during his captivity.
However, a subsequent investigation revealed discrepancies in his story. Police discovered that between January 25 and January 26, 2026, Ekes had lost a total of ₦1,308,000 through online gambling. Afterward, he allegedly traveled to Abuja, sold his mobile phone, and rented a hotel room before fabricating the kidnapping to cover up the financial loss.
Ikoedem stated that Ekes has confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court. In response to this case, Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika cautioned the public against making false distress reports and emphasized the importance of responsible gambling, particularly among youth, to avoid desperation and potential criminal behavior.
