POLICE operatives have arrested a Lance Corporal with the Army for being an alleged accomplice to suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeje George Onwuamadike, alias Evans.
The soldier identified as Victor Chukwunonso with force number 09/NA/64/6317 was apprehended at the weekend in Lagos after Evans named him and some prominent southeast businessmen as his accomplices.
The suspect, serving at the Army Band Corps, Aba Iti Barracks in Surulere, was arrested around 9pm at Ojo by operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Chukwunonso, a native of Onitsha in Anambra State, it was gathered, confessed to have followed Evans on three kidnap missions.
According to sources, Chukwunonso confessed to have received N2million, N1.5million and N3million as shares from the three operations he participated in.
Our correspondent gathered the soldier was one of many other security agencies being investigated after their names were mentioned by Evans as his accomplices.
Not smart this time. But, will their comrades-in-crime at large ever learn?
This year’s string of successes by men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) against criminals vindicate the belief among Nigerians that the police would always perform when they want to, irrespective of their structural or operational deficiencies. This year alone, they have caught in their net some of the big fishes in the crime world who had been terrorising Nigerians across the country.
The most recent of the big fishes in the crime world arrested is Duneme Onwuamadike otherwise known as Evans. He was picked up in Magodo, Lagos, by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the police led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, on June 10, while preparing to travel out of the country. About 35 operatives from the IRT, 11 from the Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) and one person from the Inspector-General of Police’s (IGP) monitoring section, who participated in the operation have been promoted. Twenty-nine sergeants were promoted to the rank of Inspector, while three Corporals were promoted to the rank of Sergeant with effect from June 16, 2017.
Evans had evaded arrest in the last seven years. May be that was why the police saw his arrest as something to celebrate such that some policemen were scrambling to have pictures with him. Who would not want to have pictures with a man described by the police as the most intelligent kidnapper in the ‘Giant of Africa’?
Uchennna, Evans’ wife
But we should ponder the haven of crime that Evans seemed to have made of Lagos, given that some of his priced victims were picked and kept in the state. Yes, the state government has done a lot in terms of investment in security. But the ease with which Evans trailed and caught his victims is indication that the security infrastructure has to be retooled. It is incredible that his victims were kept in dens in Ejigbo and Igando in Lagos; absolutely incredible!
It should not be surprising that some people are already campaigning for his release on compassionate grounds. But I wonder why some Nigerians are like this. This is a man that operated without mercy where money was concerned. He said it himself that he named the price and his victims’ relations must find it, or else, their loved ones would not be released from his captivity. And the price was no chicken feed; it was in millions, not of naira but usually dollars. Indeed, Evans himself is in the vanguard of the campaign for his release, saying that he is now born-again and has seen the vanity upon vanity that he had allowed to call the shots in his life these past years. He wants a second chance. But why do these dare-devil criminals always see the light late? Only a few of such hitherto thought to be tough criminals maintain their cool when the long arm of the law eventually catches up with them. I remember the celebrated robbery kingpin of the late ‘80s, Lawrence Anini, when he was caught. He too mumbled some mumbo-jumbo. At a point, I remember he said something like: “e be like say I wan run mental”!
Although it is true that some of these criminals truly repent when pardoned, the fact is, most of them do not. And one would think that, in line with our elders’ saying that ‘the person who falls into a pit should teach others a lesson’, people into crime or those contemplating going into it would pick one or two lessons from the arrest of their powerful colleagues that are thought to be invincible until they are demystified. But no. Even as Nigerians are still basking in the arrest of Evans, some other kidnappers were reported to have served notice that they would strike in another school in Lagos despite the fact that the six pupils of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, who were abducted on May 24 were yet to be released, at least as at Friday.
One thing that is becoming obvious in all of this is that kidnapping is fast overtaking armed robbery as choice crime. Moreover, it is not just the urge to make ends meet that drive people into these crimes. If it was hunger, or lack of job, as Evans painted the picture, he should have stopped after making his initial million dollars which he was lucky to have escaped with. His Oliver twist disposition, like most criminals’, kept urging him on until he was eventually arrested. One wonders where these criminals put an age-long proverb that “every day for the thief; one day for the owner”.
The vanity that could have made Evans, just like any other criminal that is in the net weep is the fact that they would never have the privilege of entering the mansions they acquired with illegal wealth again; not in this world. So, as King Solomon said in the Bible: ‘vanity upon vanity, all is vanity’! Of what use are choice material attractions that someone has but cannot enjoy publicly? Evans said he had exotic cars but went about mostly on power bike. Now that he has been arrested, it is certain he can no longer use any of his mansions again.
Yet, if Evans had not been arrested and he was able to make enough money to contest election, he probably would want to be governor of his state or senator of the federal republic. We have some other variants of Evans in these offices today. But your guess is as good as mine as to the kind of governance the electorate who put such a person in any elected office would get. But that he could get to the point of contesting at all is symptomatic of the weakness in our legal system, as well as a thorough corrosion of social values in the country. It is the kind of result you get when the onus is on the person asserting to prove. As a matter of fact, the costly joke all over the place is that if Evans could get some senior advocates (I believe they are making representations to him already because that is the kind of case many of them want to handle) to defend him, chances are he would be freed in court! If you doubt this, take your mind down to some of the judgments delivered by our courts in recent times and see the’ judicial wonder’ that had led to some of our high-profile accused being discharged and acquitted on inexplicable and incomprehensible grounds. If Evans is eventually freed with the assistance of some top lawyers, we would be told that what he had was media trial which is not what the court needs to convict him!
Meanwhile, Evans’ wife, Uchenna Precious Onwuamadike, who also wants Nigerians to forgive her husband should realise that hers is an emotive plea. She said she did not know her husband was into crime and that the highest amount he ever gave her was N200,000. And she wants us to believe this? Although she told some stories to lend credibility to her claim, the fact is, she would need all the angels swearing that these are true for Nigerians to believe. Uchenna seems to have forgotten that her husband was unsparing when dealing with his victims. She is now talking about forgiveness. That is a tall order. One can only feel for Evans’ kids whose faces had been exposed and who may have to carry the shame and stigma of being children of the most intelligent kidnapper in the country for a long time to come. They are the only ones who can claim they did not know what their father was doing for a living.
But the most important lesson in all this is for those into similar crimes to know that everyday cannot be Christmas for them. One day,dem monkeygo go market; dem no go return. This is one problem with criminals: they always think that their colleagues who were arrested were not smart enough or that they missed it somewhere. They never learn from their colleagues that fell into the ditch (got arrested).
After several denials, suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeje George Onwuamadike, alias Evans, has finally admitted some prominent South-east businessmen provided information on victims and shared from the ransoms.
The Nation gathered that the suspect had given a lot of names to the police, most of whom were currently being tracked.
It was gathered that the kingpin also disclosed that some of his accomplices were based in Europe, which explained his craze to collect ransoms in foreign currencies.
According to a source, Evans explained that he usually shared the loot with his informants on a 60%/40% basis.
The source said Evans had threatened to make a public announcement should the police fail to arrest those he mentioned.
He said: “It is true. He has mentioned some very prominent businessmen from the southeast as those who provided information on people he kidnapped. He claimed that they shared from the ransoms he collected.
“Evans claimed that most of his accomplices were based in Europe and that they were into drug business. The information he provided is being investigated. You do not expect the police to go and arrest people just like that.
“We have to be sure there is a connection between Evans and those mentioned. Once that is established, they would all be arrested. But he has been threatening to go public if people mentioned are not arrested”
The Inspector-General’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arrested Chukwudidumeme Onuamadike (referred to as Evans) on June 11, in Lagos four years after declaring him wanted for kidnapping. The elusive crime lord has allegedly confessed to masterminding a number of high profile crimes and his love of luxury and style of operation has created a myth around his personality. The media, for self-serving purposes, have reinforced this myth through blanket and tactless publication of information regarding the suspect’s operations. This regrettable circus, tacitly aided by the authorities raise fundamental questions about the Nigerian value system and the strategic understanding of Nigerian criminal justice system actors of their roles.
I have nothing but iconic regard for the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Anti- Robbery units- SARS, FSARS and the IRT, in spite of the negative perception of these units because of their modus operandi. Juxtaposing the enormous operational handicaps (funding, capacity, interference, weaponry and public hostility) that these units confront with and public expectations (which expects Abba Kyari and his men to perform crime solving miracles), one can only come to the conclusion that it takes extreme courage and an uncommon dedication to duty to achieve the positive results that these men have posted in recent times. However the ‘Evans spectacle’ that the media has created with the implicit support of the police authorities undermines the Nigerian criminal justice system and exposes police operatives to unnecessary risks.
One of the primary principles of any democratic criminal justice system is the independence of roles and cooperation of components; this presupposes that the processes of arrest, trial and punishment are handled by different agencies. And each component must restrict its operation to its constitutionally sanctioned space. The police duty in functioning democracies excludes the power of trial and conviction. While questions have been asked about the compatibility of the current criminal justice regime with the indigenous value systems of the Nigerian people, the current criminal regime in Nigeria guarantees the rights of the accused persons, irrespective of the crime he or she is charged with. Section 36(5) of the Constitution explicitly makes everyone charged with an offence ‘innocent until proven guilty’; Section 34(1) entitles every Nigerian to respect and dignity of his or her person; and ultimately our constitutional order prohibits the turning of an accused person to a ‘ human trophy’.
The Nigeria police’s unconventional celebrations of the arrest of Evans and the management of the case since his arrest highlights some of the worsening flaws in the Nigerian criminal justice system and raise some unsettling questions. Is it an exercise in public relations or an image laundering exercise? Is it a direct message to other deviants in the society that the police are out to get them? Is it a deliberate strategy to influence the outcome of the trial of Evans if he ever makes it to trial, by pressurizing the judge to convict irrespective of the weight of evidence adduced? Is it an attempt to distract the drama loving Nigerian public from their woes? Or a subtle indictment of the judiciary which is widely perceived as corrupt and incapable of convicting high profile criminals? Or is it just an expression of low self-esteem or low expectation by the Nigeria Police?
Or can it be said that the police has finally succumbed to the oddities in the Nigerian polity? (After all a Nigerian politician sees nothing awkward in celebrating a handshake with former president Obama?)
The public mismanagement of Evan’s arrest, especially the publication of seemingly classified operational undermines security and jeopardizes ongoing police operations. It would not be strange if kidnappers henceforth insist on million dollar ransoms and hold hostages for years, decentralize operations and move operational base to Ghana or find ways around electronic tracking. Is it recklessness, sheer incompetence or transcendental sense of invincibility that has made the Nigeria police allow the exposure of the identify of officers involved in the arrest? Online videos of officers celebrating the arrest, of policemen posing with the suspect expose officers and their families to unquantifiable risk and that is why security agencies across the world jealously protect the identity of operatives.
The police is the most visible symbol of state power and the primary institution of social control in the hands of the managers of public safety and consciousness in Nigeria. Policing is too consequential to be treated without utmost care. To deliberately or negligently expose operatives to danger or to prioritize private interest above strategic security needs is to threaten the security of the citizenry
The media mystification of Evans inadvertently glamorizes crime and instructs Nigeria’s poor and desperate youth population on the fortune that can be made from crime. In a land of limited opportunities where millions are permanently stuck in generational poverty, glamorizing Evans is a siren song that so many youth will find irresistible. The subliminal message is simple – form gangs, get guns, kidnap the rich and their families, demand ransom in millions of dollar and live the dream life that the society has refused to give you. After all, it is the age of get-rich-or-die-trying, for the youth death is a far country.
Strangely, the poor management of Evans has sired some peculiar Nigerian oddity- the free/forgive Evans movement. Whether these persons are motivated by pure mischief, self-interest or understandable anger at the impunity of the political class is immaterial; what shocks is the brazen validation of violent crimes by a section of the Nigerian population. This would have been avoided it the police authorities managed the arrest with more circumspection. And even then, the question should be asked– what are our values as Nigerians?
The Police mishandling of Evans’ arrest points towards a definite conclusion- a criminal justice system that is deeply flawed and in dire need of holistic reform. An effective criminal justice system is one of the key pillars on which the rule of law is built. A country that gets its criminal justice system right has effectively addressed a great part of its governance concerns because of the centrality of the criminal justice system to order and stability.
Osasona is a Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy Alternatives, Lagos.
That question would have been appropriate before June 10. Not now. Until then, he was known only among security agents and those who had the misfortune of being his guests. His victims, perhaps out of fear, spoke in the comfort of their bedrooms about him; never in public.
The police describe him as the “most creative and craftiest” kidnapper.
Before him was Henry Chibueze, aka Vampire, “the deadliest” of them all, whose gang members once stormed a court hearing his case, shot at soldiers and snatched him away – leg chains and all. It was like a scene from a Hollywood thriller. He was later to die in a gun duel with the police. Americana, whose gang is believed to be holding the Lagos pupils, is said to be just as vicious.
Evans was captured in Magodo, a highbrow Lagos neighbourhood. Residents were shocked. His homes – there are two of them in the estate – are beautiful but not extraordinary, compared with the others. He did not show off his dirty wealth. No big cars were parked in his compound. No stream of visitors driving latest limousines. No owambe parties. He rarely mixed.
It was all part of his strategy to evade arrest.
The mask fell off on June 10. Evans was unmasked as the tsar of the underworld with specialisation in kidnapping men of immense means who pay handsomely for their freedom. Now the number of joggers has reduced in Magodo where residents talk about gbenigbeni (the kidnapper) as against the once popular gbomogbomo (the kidnapper of kids).
Now that he has been captured, residents who had given up early morning jogging for fear of ending up in some God-forsaken bush in Igando or in the throbbing lakande Estate in fawaray Isolo where Evans has his safe houses of horror will not rush back to the tracks with their pot bellies.
The rich do not take chances. They would not be won back by the fact that Evans has been seized by the police. They fear members of his gang may launch a reprisal.
Who can blame them?
Evans collected ransom in hard currency because he wanted “to be different”. His victims include frontline businessmen. A potential victim would put him on a retainer, as an insured against being kidnapped. His victims were kept under inhuman conditions for months, manacled.
One of them got Evans angry. His family was said to have been rude. They paid more and got their man back later than expected.
When a victim is released and he goes to church for thanksgiving, Evans features as one of the honoured guests. How does he feel in church? Does he also shout “alleluia” and “amen”? When he kneels down, what does he tell God; to bless him? Does he feel his exploits come from above? Does he have a conscience? Does he ever spare a moment for reflections?
In detention, Evans has asked for a copy of the Holy Bible, which he has been reading as if he is preparing for a Bible College exam. His favourite books are said to be Psalms and Job. In fact, he is said to love reading Psalms 23 –”The Lord is my shepherd…”. Really? Who then is the shepherd of his victims?
Ivan the Terrible, who is also known as Ivan the Fearsome (August 25, 1530 – March 18, 1584), was Russia’s first tsar. He ruled with an iron hand. His was a bloody, brutal reign. Ivan brooked no opposition. He was believed to be mentally troubled. In a fit of anger, he killed his son, Ivan Ivanovich, who would have succeeded him. Is Evans mentally stable?
He was loved by few, loathed by many and feared by all. So is Evans.
In police custody, Evans has been sobered up. He has been singing like a bird. He has told of how his father did not send him to school. He has talked about his gang and its mode of operation. He says his wife has been having a time of her life; she denies being lavished with cash and gifts. He claimed to have given his father N3m and luxury motorcars.
The Evans fairytale has raised many questions about our moral values, law enforcement, parental care, citizen responsibility and more. Why did it take so long to capture Evans? The police had been searching for him since 2013. A bounty of N30 million was placed on his head. That seemed to have done the magic, but must citizens wait for such enticement before performing their duty to society? Why did his victims fail to give information which the police could use to track him down?
How do Evans’ parents feel? Regrets? If they were too poor to send him to school, why didn’t they ensure that he learned a trade and stuck to it? He said his goods were seized by Customs. He then went into drug trafficking, a trade he dumped after his partner cheated him and attempted to kill him. He tried his hands on armed robbery. Not pleased, he went into kidnapping, which proved to be a goldmine.
Must a man be involved in such lethal undertakings all in the battle to get rich? What is wealth when it can buy only comfort but cannot secure peace of mind?
Our society regards those who are not wealthy as failures. When cash is involved, morality is thrown overboard. That is why a professor commands no attention at a village meeting but everybody yields the floor to a man whose only qualification to sit at such a gathering is that he is “loaded”. “Na prof we go chop?” We scorn professionals who do not have wealth to exhibit, even as they are rich in intellect and other natural endowments which they have worked so much to develop.
Why is kidnapping such a lucrative trade that is so attractive despite the punishment? Is it just the mad ambition of a bad mind to get wealth? Or just man’s inhumanity to man? Why is man so inhuman?
Many of us are guilty of aiding and abetting this abominable crime. Who is the doctor who treated one of Evans’ victims who was shot? The doctor went to one of Evans’ detention centres to do the job, which many hospitals would not touch, even with the approval of the police. Who is the businessman who paid Evans in lieu of being kidnapped? Who are his bankers? Did they care about the nature of his trade that brought such hefty deposits? How did he run his accounts in these days of cashless policy? Who sold Evans the Magodo luxury homes? Did they conduct background checks?
He was said to have used 126 mobile phone numbers. Who are the service providers? Are the cards registered as required by law?
A woman was said to have played some roles in untying the Evans knot. How Does he also say “I love you” to her? Does he kiss and hug? Is he capable of showing affection, despite his wicked ways?
When he collects a ransom, says Evans, he takes his share and gives the rest to “the owners”. Who are the owners?
Where is the place of law in all this? An interview with Evans’ wife published by a newspaper shows that ogbologbo lawyers are already at work. She is being schooled to portray Evans as a victim of societal and parental neglect who deserves sympathy and rehabilitation.
Soon, the lawyers, flying the banner of human rights, will set their hands to the plough, filing an application to enforce Evans’ fundamental rights. They will be asking for bail. They will be seeking the leave of the court to enforce his right to medical care, overseas, naturally. The court will be urged to consider the principle of animus nocendi and establish beyond a reasonable doubt whether Evans deliberately set out to harm those who got physically harmed during his escapades.
After all, an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the court will be reminded. And justice, being blind and no respecter of status, may shun the din of the marketplace and follow its dictates. Then, it will all become an academic debate on the letter of the law in contradistinction to the spirit of the law.
The police deserve garlands for capturing Evans. But, there are many Evans out there. The six Lagos pupils remain in captivity, several weeks after. Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) chief Olumide Odimayo’s body was dumped by his abductors. The police have some suspects; they should go after the others. But the police require everybody’s co-operation to succeed.
We all should help to expose these enemies of humanity.
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has attributed the arrest of Chukwujeme Onwamadike, the suspected kidnapper popularly known as Evans, to information sharing and intelligence cooperation among police services in West Africa.
“Information sharing is crucial to tackling the menace of trans-border crimes in West Africa; it is through such exchange that we were able to nab a Ghanaian/Nigerian kidnapper two weeks ago, after evading arrest for many years,” Idris said on Wednesday.
Idris spoke in Accra, Ghana in a paper titled: “The role of Nigeria Police in national security and its contributions in West Africa”, delivered at an ongoing West Africa international security conference.
The paper was sent, via email, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.
“For several years, Evans terrorised Nigerians and nationals of many countries across West Africa. Efforts to apprehend him did not yield the desired results until we spread our search net wider”, he said.
The police chief, who solicited closer ties among security agencies in the sub-region, emphasised the need to improve the method of monitoring and surveillance, particularly among border and coastal police units.
Idris called for improved communication capabilities among intelligence gathering outfits in West Africa, and called for mutual support to plug loopholes usually exploited by criminals.
He said that the Nigeria Police Force had 300,000 personnel in 127 area commands and 5303 divisions, adding that the force had consistently contributed to stability and peace in ECOWAS nations and under UN mandates.
“The Nigeria Police Force trained 250 Liberian Police personnel in 2005 and has consistently offered training slots to police officers from Gambia and Sierra Leone at the Police Staff College, Jos and the Police Academy, Wudil.
“We also trained 100 police officers from the Republic of Niger on mobile police combat in 1998. At the end of the training, Nigeria donated trucks, riot equipment and tear smoke to the Nigerien government,” he said.
Idris said that the Nigeria Police Force also helped to stabilise Guinea Bissau in 2012, when the military intervened in its leadership and truncated democracy.
“Our police personnel remained there until democracy was restored in 2014,” he stated.
The IGP expressed Nigeria’s readiness to consistently cooperate with police formations in other countries to track down criminals, pointing out that such mutual cooperation had become even more necessary as technology had reduced the world to a small village.
Suspected kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeje George Onwuamadike alias Evans, yesterday claimed he gave his father N3million cash, a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a Hilux Van before he stopped visiting his hometown, Umudim, Nnewi in Anambra State.
Evans made the allegation when detectives took him to one of the dens his gang used for the detention of victims.
The bungalow situated at Green Street, Jakande Estate, Isolo, was rented by the kingpin, through his gang members in 2010 and he paid the rent yearly.
The other two are situated at New Igando and Gowon Estate, the suspect said.
Evans, who said he believed his father must have started the pig husbandry from the money he gave him, blamed the man for what he turned into.
“Before I stopped going home, I gave my father N3million and I bought him jeep and pick up van. I believe that part of the money I gave him was what he used to establish the piggery business. Had it been my father had taken good care of me, I wouldn’t have become what I am today.
“I dropped out of school at JSS2, when my father refused to send me to school. I have been fending for myself since I was 10 with the support of my mother, presently my mother is paralyzed. She’s on a sick bed.
My wife was only lying that she did not spend part of my money. She only wants Nigerians to have sympathy for me. She did not know I was into kidnapping. I only told her that I am into drug, which she advised me to stop because it is dangerous.”
Continuing, Evans, who allegedly threatened his victims with death and even shot at some of them, said he believes in God.
I believe in God, that was why I mandated my wife to always wake my children up for prayers. My favourite Bible passage is Psalm 23. My wife does not know why I loved the Psalm so much. I loved it because of the sins I have committed. I always asked my children to ask for forgiveness for me and also pray that I should not die young.
“I believe in God because he’s the only one that can save me from the problem I find myself in. I believe it was greed that pushed me into kidnapping. I don’t believe in Juju.”
Although detectives said Evans held Chief James Udoji and five other victims hostage in the Jakande camp until their families paid demanded ransom, Evans said he only had three victims inside the building.
He said: “I have just three camps in Lagos where I kept some of the victims, I kidnapped, and the camps are in Jakande, Igando and Gowon area of the state.
“I collected $1million from Udoji. Another victim Emesbos paid me $300,000, while the third person paid N250,000. Whenever I noticed policemen were after me, I moved the victim to a different camp so that I won’t be tracked.
“I rented the Jakande house for N750,000 per annum. I also operated several bank accounts.
“The house at Igando has two different apartments. I rented the house for N1million per year. I only kept two victims in the house and they are Chief Umeh and the pharmacist, Chief Donatus Dunu, who escaped.
“We collected €23million (euros) from the family. We demanded €300million before they paid €23million and promised to bring the rest. When we collected the money, I told my boys to release the man, they were the ones holding him, because then, I was suspecting policemen were after me.
“I was surprised when I heard that Chief Donatus Dunu has escaped from the detention camp. It was one of my boys that called and informed me about the development. I was still not convinced that Uche and Emeka did not collect money from the victim’s family and released him.
“It was after two weeks that I received a call from my spy in the community that policemen had busted the house and recovered arms and ammunitions.
“I usually don’t go to the house. I have my boys on ground there and they give me information about the development on daily basis. That alone gives me the assurance that all was well with any victim we kidnapped.
“When I heard that the Igando house has been busted by the police, I threatened the camp officer Uche Amadi that I was going to kill him. I just wanted to get the truth about the escape of the pharmacist from him.
“I always controlled my boys on the phone. Most of the detention camps, I asked them to do the findings and get back to me. I usually gave them specification on the houses to look for and I only went to the place after they must have inspected. I don’t just rent any house, anywhere based on what we were using them for.”
Asked how he was faring in cell, Evans said he was being treated well by other suspects, adding that policemen were also friendly with him.
They take good care of me. I cannot blame them if they did not take care of me because I am the cause of my problem. I am reaping what I sowed.
“I do not have any car called Fathom. The only vehicles I have are Toyota Hilux, Nissan pickup – N7million, Luxus GS460 – N22million, Range Rover, 2016 model – N55million and Luxus GL47 – N9million.
“I did not enjoy all the money I made from kidnapping because I was always on the run. I am regretting my actions in life. I did not go to clubs, hotels because I was afraid that policemen would come after me. If I am given a second chance, I would be the most grateful person on earth and I promise to be an advocate of anti-kidnapping in the country.”
Following the uncovering of kidnap dens ran by suspected kingpin, Chukwudemeje George Onwuamadike alias Evans, owners of bungalow structures at Jakande Estate, Isolo, yesterday commenced profiling of their tenants.
The landlords, who expressed shock at the revelations by Evans, said they have started issuing forms to their tenants to establish their means of livelihood and other vital information.
According to residents, they usually saw young men at the bungalow situated at Green Street, which Evans used as detention camp but never suspected anything.
One Fatai Owolola said: “We never knew that the building was used to keep kidnapped victims. I only saw two young men going in and out of the bungalow without suspecting anything.
“The only time cars came in there was at night and it would immediately drive out. They took advantage of the quietness of the vicinity to carry out their evil deeds. Everybody goes out in the day time and comes back at night without nosing into other people’s businesses.”
Another resident, Mrs Chikwendu Odinaka, who said she has been in the neighbourhood for over 10 years, said: “Community leaders in the streets have printed out forms to residents. The forms are to know the names and places of work of residents.
“The affected streets are Brown, Purple, White, Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, Gold and Orange, Blue and White.”
The Nation gathered that Intelligence Response Team (IRT) operatives, who participated in Evans’ arrest allegedly, looted his house.
Rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday reiterated his call for adequate police protection and fair trial for Evans.
Falana faulted the police on the media trial of Evans, calling for thorough investigation on all the leads and persons mentioned by the suspect.
He said: “The police in collusion with the media usually violate the rights of the people by conducting media trial. Though some of these cases are sensitive, we must all ensure the suspect does not die in custody.
“He has named a lot of accomplices, including a traditional ruler/consultant. He has talked about a businessman, who paid him so that he and his family would not be kidnapped.
“The suspect has said he has three palatial mansions in Ghana. So, there is need for full investigation in this matter. His banks need to be investigated for money laundering and failure to disclose suspicious transactions.
“The investigation has to be extensive. The media must corporate with the police for Evans to be brought to trial. He should be kept alive to tell his story in court for the benefit of society.”
The leader of a notorious kidnapping gang arrested in Lagos last Saturday, Chukumdubem Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, has opened up on the circumstances that warranted his transition from a harmless spare parts dealer to a deadly armed robber and kidnapper.
Evans, who narrated his involvement with the kidnapping gang that tormented the entire nation and left security agents sleepless for years in an interview with our correspondent, also revealed his exploits, his love life and exotic lifestyle, including furnishing a house he bought for N130 million with the sum of N100 million.
He also spoke about the kind of relationship he had with his father and mother as well as his siblings.
He said: “My name is Chukumdubem Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans. I was born in 1981 into the Onwuamadike family in Akamilli village, Umudim village, Anedo. I dropped out in JSS II because there was no money to go further.
“My father was born in 1960 and he had three wives. His name is Mr. Stephen Onwuamadike. My mother is the first wife with four boys and two girls. They are Somadina, Nnemeka, Chukwuemelie, and myself. My two sisters are Nzube and Chigozie.
“Later, I served one Jubako, a motor spare parts dealer in Nnewi, for five years and he never settled any of his boys.
“I left from East to Lagos and started selling black market phones at Alafia but resided in Surulere area.
“Somebody promised to send me to Holland but it did not work. I collected N200,000 from friends plus the N700,000 I saved and gave it to somebody to procure a visa and other things I needed to travel abroad, but the person disappeared with my hard earned money.
“I started selling fairly used motor parts in Ladipo Market. I met one Kingsley who was into armed robbery but I did not do robbery with him.
“I gathered some money and travelled to South Africa to sell drugs between 2006 and 2008. That was how I started drug business in South Africa.
“When I had a misunderstanding with my fellow drug pusher who planned to swindle me by selling drugs and telling me that the buyers had not made any payment, I confronted him and he brought out his pistol and shot me with the intention of collecting the entire drug money. I was taken to St. Clamout Hospital in Cape Town where I was operated upon.
“I later met Kingsley and Ehis in Nigeria when I went to treat my wound with native medicine in 2008. We promised to do something in Edo State. We started armed robbery. It was the Chief Superintendent of Police CSP Patrick that chased us out of Edo State and we relocated to Lagos. He was then the MOPOL 2 Commander.
“We carried out robbery operations on Port Harcourt Road, Aba where we used a truck to block a bullion van and collected N70 million. We used to be about 20 in the gang. Our members include Too Much Money and an Hausa boy, Nwangwa. There is a member called MD and one called Obele
“Obele led the operation in Old Umuahia. We stayed two weeks in a hotel while MD was planning the job. We collected N110 million from a bullion vehicle after we had jammed it with a tipper. There was another robbery operation we did and collected N7 million from another bullion vehicle.
“I met my wife, Precious, along the road in Uruagu village, Nnewi. We are 11 years in marriage. She was about 15 years old when I married her, because she was about to take her West African School Certificate Examination.
“I promised to pay her school fees, but when I impregnated her, she stopped school and stayed with my dad in the village till she gave birth.
Evans (right) with ACP Abba Kyari
“I rented a three-bedroom flat at Marwa Road in Satellite Town and shared it with a friend. We had three boys and two girls. I was trading in Ladipo when I married my wife, Precious. I adopted the name Evans when I was in JSS II.”
Asked why he went into armed robbery, he said: “It was because I lost my shop in Ladipo for travelling abroad. I decided to look for money to take care of my three children then. I was also looking for money to travel to Brazil.
“When I told Kingsley that I needed money, he said he would link me to somebody named Too-Much-Money. From him I got MD’s contact. I started going into armed robbery operations.
“I got money and bought a Honda ‘Baby Boy’ car for N1.8 million. I opened a shop at Aspanda in Trade Fair area where I was selling car fitters. I also spent N6.1 million on the goods I put in my shop.
“My gang members at Ladipo at that time were Ejima, Omo, Benin Papa, Sado, Papa Twins, Prince Joe, Alhaji Ibo and Papa Kekere. They were all traders in Ladipo.
“We also operated in Edo State. My gang members were Harison from Edo; Papa Ibo and Papa Benin, both late; Tony and Biggy from Imo State, both late; Ehis from Edo; Bekee from Imo, also late; Ahere from Edo; Kingsley from Delta, now late; Papa Twins from Edo; Prince Joe from Anambra, now late; Alhaji Ibo, now late; Baba Kekere and Henry a.k.a. Hunch Man.
“I later formed a three-man gang, namely myself, Eyis and Harrison. We kidnapped Kings Paints boss and got N7 million, Dan Odete N40 million, Randeki N11 million when I relocated to Lagos. We also kidnapped Iyi Technical and got N100 million, but Henry ran away with the money.
Asked about his relationship with women, he sad: “I am not a womanizer. My friend was missing and I took care of his wife and children with my money. I did not have sex with the woman. I did not touch any woman in Lagos except my wife. I moved my wife to Ghana when I was in Satellite Town.”
Evans said he relocated to Lagos when there was a problem in Benin and met one Aku Uche who taught him how to make money from kidnapping.
He said: “We picked a generator seller, Raymond Okoye, at Alaba. We picked him where he used to drink beer and we got N40 million from him. My share was N3.5 million. It was Uche who brought the three Ak47 rifles we used in the operation.
“We also kidnapped Ucheson when he was going home at Sixth Avenue, Festac Town. He was coming back from the market. He paid one million dollars.
“It is the person who brought material and the job we call the master. Uche brought the Sienna car we used in robbing the (boss of) Young Shall Grow motors. Baba Eko brought the job.
“We kidnapped Okija man in Ajao Estate and got N60 million. We did not succeed in kidnapping Young Shall Grow. Uche, Hunchman and Dr died in the operation when bullets hit them. I ran to Abuja to hide.
“After the Young Shall Grow operation, I became the boss. I secured Uche’s equipment and rented a house in Igando in 2014. I did two jobs at Amuwo Odofin and Festac. We kidnapped Chief Uduji in Alaba and he paid one million dollars.
“I treated Chief Uduji with rose fin injection when he became sick. I got how to treat him from the internet. I used to buy Roche drug N4,500 each. It was the pan of his car that wounded him. His wife in Canada phoned me and said he should not be allowed to die. Other members of my gang ran away thinking that the chief would die.
“We also picked Ojukwu Cosmos from his house at 21 Close, Festac. He paid 350,000 dollars. We picked Francis Umeh who paid 300,000 dollars. Unachukwu had no money and paid only N30 million.
“Donatus who is a pharmacist we picked at Ilupeju paid N223,000 Euros. I had three vehicles and later sold two to meet up with my financial challenges.
“I bought a Lexus Jeep (SUV) for N15 million, a Hilux Jeep for N11 million and Chiroke Jeep for N55 million. I also sold two of my vehicles for N23 million. I rented a flat in Magodo brooks and later bought a house for N130 million and furnished it with N100 million. I also bought another house in Magodo for N100 million.
“I did not befriend Okey’s wife, Amaka. She said her husband was missing and I was giving her money to sustain her family. I did not marry Iwuji’s wife. I did not know that she had a husband. She is my childhood friend. I thought that she had no husband.”
Asked why he would keep a victim for more than three weeks, he said he wanted him to pay enough money to meet up operation expenses because he pays those who play different roles good money.
He swore that he had not killed any of his victims both in armed robbery operations and kidnapping operations. He said it was the gang members that handles rifles and misbehaved in shooting victims or when they are exchanging fire with police.
When he was asked how he felt now that all the things he worked for would be taken over by the government, including his exotic cars and beautiful mansions, he wept profusely and said, “I feel bad. I feel for my children, wife, mother and friends. It has happened, it has happened. Even my mother is suffering partial stroke because of the kidnapping work I am doing. I was taking care of her till I was arrested.
“She is in the village in Nnewi. At times she refused to take the money I sent to her, telling me that I should stop kidnapping people; that it was making her sad.
“How can my mother prepare charms for me when she did not support my kidnapping job? I do not use charms; I used brain. The commander of Inspector General of Police Intelligence Team (IRT), an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abba Kyari used brain to get me. If not for Kyari, I would not have been arrested.”
Reacting to the allegation that his gang tortured and killed many of their victims, Evans said it was not true.
Said he: “I do carry arms but I do not encourage abuse of firearms. I do not allow members who kill victims to participate in an operation I am interested in. I even treated one victim who became very sick. I cannot allow a victim to die if I can save him.
“What is true is that you can be kept hostage till you pay the last kobo. I used the money to pay those who play different roles in the kidnapping job. Anybody who says he is not well paid is a liar. Once we got a ransom, we came together to share it. Those who could not come to where we were sharing still got something reasonable. At least N2 million or N1.5 million for whatever role you played.
“I also do not encourage stealing victims’ property. I was not happy when Ikechukwu and Nwosu stole the golden ring of a victim. If not for our arrest, I would have made them to return the ring to the owner.
‘How we became members of Evans’ gang’
ONE of the principal suspects in the dreaded Evans’ high profile persons kidnapping gang, Chukwuemeka Ikenna Bosah (32), said he joined the gang of the notorious kidnapper to enable him foot the bill for a cesarean operation his wife underwent.
It was one of the revelations that emerged from different interviews our correspondent had with some members of the deadly gang, including Sola Paul (42), Uche Amadi (41) and Chukwumah Nwosu (42).
Explaining his involvement with the gang, Bosah said: “I used to manage a restaurant at No. 9, Yakoyo Road, Sabu, which is under Ogun State. I later travelled to Ghana to engage in 419 (obtaining by false pretence).
“Luck smiled on me one day and I hit $43,000. I rented a shop for my wife and also rented a house where I lived with my family, which included two sets of twins. I also opened a bigger restaurant than the one I ran in Nigeria.
“I was doing well until six months later when the owner of the building where I resided gave me a quit notice, claiming that I paid the rent to the wrong person. The matter affected my business so badly that I decided to relocate to Nigeria.
“When I returned to Nigeria, I started doing Internet fraud to survive. I told a white woman who was desperate to marry a black man that I would marry her, and she started taking care of me. She was sending me a lot of money until some enemies of progress called her and told her that I was married with a set of twins. She cut off the relationship.
“Unfortunately for me, I was penniless at the time she cut off the relationship. The worst happened when my pregnant wife went for antenatal care and the doctor told her that her that the only safe way she could be delivered of the baby was cesarean operation because the baby was inside the fallopian tube.
“When I narrated my plight to my friend, Nwosu, he told me that there was a friend of his who had just returned from abroad. He assured me that he would talk to the man to help me with money for the operation my wife intended to undergo. That was at Cele Bust Stop (Lagos).
“We entered keke (commercial tricycle) to Jakande Estate. There we met Evans who came in a Lexus SUV. This was around the year 2015.
“Evans told us to enter his car and I saw some men with fez caps. I also saw one of them in the back seat give a gun to another one in the front seat with Evans.
“Before I knew it, the driver used the Lexus SUV to block a car and they ordered the big man in the car to come down at gun point. When the man came out, he fainted. Evans then ordered Nwosu and I to carry the big man and put him inside his (Evans’) vehicle and they zoomed off.
“While we were putting the man inside Evans’ vehicle, Nwosu stole his gold ring. He later gave it to me to sell in order to solve my wife’s problem. I sold the ring for N60,000 and used the money to settle the bill for the cesearen operation.
When Evans discovered that we stole the victim’s ring, he became angry with me. He gave Nwosu the sum of N1.5 million to give to me as my share of the ransom, but Nwosu deducted N50,000 from it.”
Nwosu, however, denied deducting N50,000 from Bosah’s share, saying it was only N5,000 that he took from it.
He said: “I am am a native of Aba, Abia State. I trade in female wears and accessories like bags and shoes. I met Evans in 2014 at Domino’s Pizza, Apo Junction, Festac Town (Lagos) while selling fuel and engine oil in the black market at Alafia. I later went to Yaba to sell shoes.
“I travelled to Vietnam for two years. When I came back in January 2015, I met Evans again. We discussed drug trafficking business and I told him how I lost all my money to drug business. He then promised to sponsor me on drug trafficking trip, but he said I should give him some time.
“When we and the other people in the car had passed Second Rainbow junction, Evans told me to join another car that was following his SUV. We turned to Abulabu Junction and car, Ikenna, telling him to keep moving. “On getting to Villa Park area, they over crossed a vehicle and took a man from it and we left. On getting to Cele Bus Stop, he asked Ikenna, the driver of the other car, to drop me.
He gave each of us N1.5 million. “Unfortunately, the person I gave the money to help me procure a South Korea visa embezzled it. I later gave another money to one agent and he also bolted with it. I was later arrested. “I am married with three children. My problem now is that I gave my wife only N3,000 before I went to Abuja. I don’t know how they are managing to eat now. Tell the police that we have repented and should be given a second chance. The third suspect, Paul, said: “I am from Bayelsa State.
I was being paid N65,000 monthly for the amnesty they granted me, but my master used to deduct N10,000 from it every month. “I then went into sea diving job for which I was paid sums ranging from N50,000 to N500,000 for items recovered. But while working as divers all of us were still in the militant camp at Bayelsa, Calabar and Delta.
At times, we would break pipelines or kidnap oil workers, especially foreigners working with oil companies, and they used to pay ransom fast. “It was my master, Mr. George Suboma, who owned the camp and the guns we used for militancy. We got annoyed with the oil companies because they did not care to employ indigenes of the states or develop the areas. “The amnesty was granted us in 2009, during the late President Yaradua’s regime.
In 2010, I met Evans because he used to come to camp to collect guns from my master, George. He would come to militants’ camp with Barrister Yellow to meet George. I do not have Evans’ phone number and he does not have my number too. “When President Yaradua died, they started owing us amnesty allowance. I am not too educated. Evans later called me.
He aksed me about my children. I told him that my master, Ugboma George, was deceased. “He asked me to text the number of the gang’s second in command identified as Peter. He said he would like to see us in Lagos. He sent N30,000 for our journey to Lagos. “When we alighted at Cele Bus Stop at Ijesha (Lagos), one elderly man came and took us to one hotel at Iyana Ojugbo area. We stayed there for two weeks without seeing Evans.”
IN the sleepy village of Inyaba in Akamili area of Nnewi town, Anambra State, the arrest of kidnap kingpin, Chukwudi Dumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans has brought shame to his family and kinsmen. His father, Stephen Onwuamadike, who relocated to the community after his business empire collapsed in 1985 after he was defrauded, battles poverty. The fair-complexioned Onwuamadike told The Nation that since he suffered a reversal of fortune about 32 years ago, he had gone through the pains and agony of suffering without any form of help from anywhere.
The only thing sustaining him for now, he disclosed, is a small poultry business in his compound. Narrating his son’s upbringing to The Nation in his residence tucked behind Immanuel Anglican Church, Evans’ father said he was the youngest millionaire in Nnewi before his business misfortune. He said people like Innocent Chukwuma (Innoson group) were using their pick-up vans to pick goods from his warehouse located inside his compound, where he was storing motor-spare parts back in the days. “I used to go to Japan, Singapore, Germany, London, Korea among other countries to import generating sets and motorcycle spare parts. I found myself in this condition in 1985 when I was duped by 419ners(fraudsters) from Aba in Port Harcourt.
“I built this house in 1984; by that time, this my son Chukwudi (aka – Evans) was only three years old. I took them to many places to give them the good things of life. The problem of that boy started with his mother in 1986 when I started having problems with her and she was junketing from pillar to post. “Chukwudi my son was enrolled in good schools from nursery to secondary.
I put him in Merchant of Light Boys High school in Oba Before then, he had gone through Summit Nursery School to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Primary School in Awka. I removed him from those schools when I noticed that the mother was visiting him because I did not want her to infect him with bad spirit” He said his wife Chinwe, 50, left his house in 1986 leaving her four children behind, with his mother, Margret Onwuamadike, 78. He explained further that Evans’ mother later came back to his house two years later.
He said that when his son left Oba Boys Secondary school (Merchant of Light) after two years, he did all he could to persuade him to further his studies to no avail. He said: “My son (Evans) insisted that he would trade in spare parts and I made arrangement with Cosmas Maduka, through his elder brother, to take him to Lagos, but the boy later rejected the plan, not knowing that he was being negatively teleguided. “But in 1998, I left Nnewi for Lagos and I was living at Ikotun and started worshipping at T.B Joshua’s church, Synagogue, and when the boy came to me, I gave him money to go back to Nnewi after he found his way to Lagos where he said he had started learning a trade “So, in 2005 again, he called me that he wanted to marry and I asked him how manage, because I was aware that he was not doing anything tangible, but he told me not to bother, that he needed my presence, which I obliged him.
“Chukwudi Onwuamadike who is being paraded as a kidnapper is my first son; there are other 10 of my children; eight boys and three girls, they were to be 12 but one died. “After his marriage in 2005, he moved back to Lagos with the wife and since 11 years, my brother, I will tell you that I don’t know his whereabouts. “The only person who can tell you in and out of his movement, his connections and his dealings is his mother (Chinwe) because they are always discussing on phone and he does not call me.
“Anytime he wanted to call me, he would hide his phone number or any time his mother would be around, he would instruct his mother to give me her phone for me to answer. “I met him in 2006 when I went for prayers at TB Joshua’s church (in Lagos). the last time I set my eyes on him was in 2012 during the birthday party of Prophet T.B Joshua in Lagos and I asked him what he was doing, he told me he was dealing in drugs. “My son was a nice young man before he came under strange influences.”
However, he said if Evans was released, he would be the happiest father. According to him, “he is still my son, blood is thicker than water. Since I was told about this incident on Monday by some people, I have not been sleeping and I have refused to allow my old mother to know about it because she would die immediately;” Stephen Onwumadike narrated. Also speaking with The Nation, the Obi of Akamili, 81- year-old Edwin Oduonye, who could not stomach what he called the insult brought on them by their son, slumped on his seat and started crying like a baby. It took the reporter some minutes to calm him down, but he managed to clean his eyes and told The Nation that the boy was nice when he was growing up.
The old man popularly known as (Nnanyelugo), said his late wife was the younger sister to the wife of the late Onwuamadike. “He was a good boy when he was a child, but I believe that he derailed when he started mixing with bad groups. “This is painful because the boy in question is from my domain and Nnewi at large. Our people are not known for something like this; they are hardworking people. “I have never seen such a thing before, only God can adjudicate on an issue like this.
The present condition has not only put his family in confusion but the entire Nnewi clan. Whether dead or alive, he has brought shame to our people,” Oduonye said. Also, 38-year-old Ezenwa Oduonye, who resides in Guinea, told The Nation that the arrest of Evans was a shocking news to them. He said when he knew Chukwudi (aka- Evans), he was learning spare parts in Lagos, adding that they had never communicated on phone or seen each other in the last nine years. Another community leader in the village Chinaedum Obanye told The Nation that what the man did in Lagos was a taboo in Nnewi kingdom. He said the people of Nnewi were not known for things like kidnapping or armed robbery, adding: “Whatever you sow, you shall reap”.
