The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Evans

  • Evans weeps for being locked with ‘common poor criminals’

    Evans weeps for being locked with ‘common poor criminals’

    Suspected kidnap kingpin Chukwudemeje George Onwuamadike alias Evans is not finding it funny in police custody. He is weeping that he is being held among “common poor criminals”, The Nation learned yesterday.

    The kingpin, who was arrested on Saturday at his 3, Fred Shoboyede Street, Magodo, Lagos home, is being kept in a maximum security cell.

    It was gathered that Evans broke down on Wednesday, lamenting the state of the police cell.

    A source said he lamented that after making billions, owning gold, diamond and living like a king, he finally ended up in a cell with poor suspects.

    It was gathered that he told his interrogators he has two other detention camps in Lagos.

    He was also said to have confessed that he started off as an armed robber in Sokoto State.

    The source said: “He has been weeping uncontrollably because he is in a cell with common poor criminals despite all the wealth and mansions he owned.

    “He has started talking. He has given us locations of other detention camps he has in Lagos. Aside Igando, he has two others and detectives would visit the place. He also said that his very first robbery was in Sokoto State and that they killed the victim.

    “He is still being interrogated and more details would come out after the camps have been visited.”

    Meanwhile, The Nation learned yesterday that Evans has been excommunicated from Nnewi for over five years because of the terror he unleashed on wealthy indigenes of the town.

    It was also learned that his second in command, Felix Chinemerem, a native of Amanagu in Abia State, was also declared wanted in 2014, after his criminal activities led to the killing of many innocent people.

    It was learned that Chinemerem took part in the kidnap of a prominent Nigerian, which prompted policemen to storm the community and allegedly shot randomly, killing villagers.

    After the incident, the villagers were said to have moved to kill him but he fled and had not been seen since then.

     

  • Kidnap kingpin Evans,by neighbours

    Kidnap kingpin Evans,by neighbours

    •Suspect ‘moved personal effects out of mansion’

    Suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem George Onwuamadike aka Evans was arrested shortly after his return home last Saturday, some guards in his neighbourhood said yesterday.

    Unknown to him, the neighbourhood had been surrounded by the police before his arrival.

    But, before his arrest, he had started moving his personal effects from his 3, Fred Shogboyede Street, Magodo, mansion.

    A guard, Ali, who said he saw how Evans was arrested, said he was initially surprised to see so many policemen in the estate.

    Ali said armed policemen in over four vehicles blocked all the roads leading to the estate.

    “Some stayed at the gate close to his house, others stayed at the end of the street and there was another group towards the street behind his house. The man came in that day in a cab and the cab was waiting for him outside.

    “But as soon as he entered, policemen surrounded the place. He opened his upper window and called Pius. He asked Pius who those people were and Pius told him they were policemen and they were looking for him.

    “Then, he locked the window and stayed there. As of then, we didn’t know what was happening. We thought that maybe they were just looking for him until we saw the policemen drag him out in handcuffs. They also took Pius with them.”

    It was gathered that he had not been to the house for sometime before the police busted his gang.

    According to some guards, the mansion and another at 96, Emmanuel Keshi Street, also in Magodo, were built less than a year ago.

    The houses were locked when The Nation called yesterday.

    But, a woman was seen locking the Emmanuel Keshi mansion gate when she left the house.

    The guards, who claimed they were friends of Evans’ gateman, Pius, said the suspect neither received visitors nor mixed with neighbours.

    They said he usually paid his utility and other estate dues “promptly”, adding that his gateman and chef earned N20,000 each monthly.

    According to them, Evans and his family never went to church. They said the only person allowed to go to church was Pius.

    One of the guards, who gave his name as John, said: “I have been working in this estate for more than one year. This house is new. It was built last year. The man bought it and remodelled it. He changed a lot of things in the house.

    “He doesn’t talk to people. He doesn’t attend estate meetings but he pays his dues. I haven’t seen visitors enter there. He was living in the house with his family and he had a woman cook. His security man is Pius, our brother from Kaduna. He told us the man has four wives and that none of them knew the other.

    “Pius was arrested by the police that day (Saturday). The man doesn’t go to church and I never saw his family go to church. Pius told us he was the only one who usually went to church in the house. He said his salary was N20,000 per month.

    “We noticed the man started moving out about a month ago. Pius also said it during our discussion that his employer was moving out. The man stopped coming to the estate in his car. Sometimes he came on a power bike, other times, a cab.”

  • My crime exploits, by kidnap kingpin Evans

    My crime exploits, by kidnap kingpin Evans

    Suspect who owns two houses in highbrow Magodo, Lagos relives life of crimes

    The sensational life – big crime and luxury – of a kidnap kingpin Chukwudubem George Onwuamadike (aka Evans), has collapsed with a tripe of regrets.

    He yesterday advised those in the illicit trade to quit.

    “I am feeling bad. People who are still into kidnapping should quit. They should learn from what has happened to me,” he told reporters when he was paraded at the Lagos Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

    Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent (CSP), who paraded him and his gang, said Evans ran a highly sophisticated operation where members did not know themselves.

    Others paraded are Felix Chinemerem, Nwosu Chikodi Chukwuma (aka Sado), 42, Suoyo Paul (aka Nwana), 42, Ikenna Emeka, 28, Uchechukwu Amadi and Ogechi Amadi.

    Evans, who relived his sojourn in the underworld, said: “I was into auto spare parts importation but lost all my money (over N25m) when Customs seized my goods. From there, I relocated to South Africa, where I started peddling drugs. But along the line, my business partner shot me and passed me off as dead. I recuperated, returned to Nigeria and decided to start kidnapping rich men for ransom.”

    He said he started the evil trade under the late notorious Chyna, adding that he was among theose who attempted to kidnap the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Vincent Obianodo.

    Two members of the gang, he said, were killed in the operation in which Chyna died. He started his own gang, adding that he has six men in Lagos, who he sends to any part of the country to operate.

    They went in groups of three or four to execute any mission, Evans said, adding that others were recruited for particular operations and discharged once the job was done.

    The suspect claimed that he never killed adding that most killings were done by his gang members.

    He named, Urchman, Uche and Nnamdi as those who carried the gang’s weapons, adding that Chinedu and Ehis brought contacts and names of those to be kidnapped. Evans claimed to have  kidnapped 10 people since he started his gang in 2015. He said two of his victims, Uyi Technical and Dan Odete, who brought N100million and N50million ransom, were picked up during  the late Chyna’s reign. He got N10million from the operation.

    Evans said: “Once the victims pay the ransom, the money goes to the people who own it. I don’t have a boss but some people own the money. Does money stay with a human being? (He queried reporters in Igbo).

    “I have people heading different sections. There are two gangs that work for me in every operation.  It is not all the time I follow them for the job. Most times, I control them on phone. The two gangs do not know themselves and neither of them knows my house.

    “Two people take charge of the detention camp at Igando and on every operation, I pay them N2million each. My parents are in the village. My mother knows what I do but she has never approved of it. I have five children. Three boys and two girls. I sent my family to Canada.

    “I have dual citizenship – Nigeria and Ghana. I got visa for my family in Ghana because I couldn’t get it in Nigeria. I have not left Nigeria since 2007 that I returned from South Africa but my family usually travelled and I also give money to people to buy whatever I need or I buy online.

    “Most of our victims are targetted and picked along the road or before they enter their homes. We do not pick victims from their homes”.

    On how he was arrested, Evans said he believed it was “time for me to be arrested; that was why I was caught because I have always been in Nigeria”.

    “I am suffering from abdominal cancer and I am always on drug,” he said.

    “Uche Amadin is incharge of the detention camp at Igando. At first, I told him I was into International business (drugs) but along the line, he knew it was kidnapping and he stayed with me. He was the one who brought his wife into it not me because he was the one who said I should rent a house for them with his wife’s name.

    Chinemerem, 36, who claimed Evans usually called them and sent messages with hidden numbers whenever the need arose, said he met the kingpin when he (Chinemerem) returned from Malaysia.

    According to him, the highest amount he collected from Evans was N200,000, which he described as a gift.

    Ogechi Amadin, who is said to be the suspect’s chef, claimed that she knew nothing about the gang, adding that her husband used her name to get an accommodation at Igando.

    Her husband, she said, told her he was going into drug business and wanted to relocate them to Lagos. The woman, who claimed to be a petty trader in Port Harcourt, said she agreed that her name be used to secure the accommodation and contacted her friend, Ngozi, for help.

    She claimed she had only visited the place once (last July), adding that her husband sent her N600,000 once for their rent and children’s school fees in Rivers State.

    ‘We kidnapped Young Shall Grow’

    Amadi said he first met Evans in 2013, on his return from Malaysia, after a woman he promised to marry threw him out for keeping a wife and son in Nigeria.

    According to him, he met the kingpin at Maza-Maza,Mile II, where Evans was buying rolls of nylon used for sachet water.

    “One day, he asked me to follow him. They had a convoy of three vehicles. I was not told where we were going to, but we went to Festac. That was when I knew it was kidnapping because it was the Young Shall Grow attempted kidnap.

    “After that day, I relocated to Port Harcourt. But last year, Evans called me to move back to Lagos, that he was going to help me secure an accommodation and start up a business for me. I discussed it with my wife and she called her friend,Ngozi,who helped to get the accommodation. I told my wife I was going into drug business. I didn’t tell her it was kidnapping. I have not received any money from Evans since then.”

    ‘Evans gave me N3m for arms’

    Suoyo Paul, 42, an ex-militant from Bayelsa State, said he met Evans in 2008 when he was in the camp as a militant.

    He said his boss, Peter, gave Evans two rifles, adding that when he embraced the Amnesty offer of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he lost contact with Evans.

    “But I ran into Barrister Evans’ friend in Port Harcourt. He was the one who reintroduced me to Evans. In the course of our discussions, Evans said he had lost all the arms he purchased from Peter, my former master. He gave me  N3m to get new guns for him. In the course of our telephone communications, police tracked me down to Port Harcourt and arrested me.”

    How gang operated, by police

    Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said five AK47 and an AK 49 rifles, two double barrel long guns, two English pistols, 59 AK47, magazines with ammunition, 1,272 9mm live AK47 ammunition and five number plates were recovered from the gang.

    Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Lagos Police Command and Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) busted the gang, he said.

    “In every kidnap attack, he has a separate armed group that takes victims with them and has another armed group that takes the victims to their hideouts and prevents them from escaping. The members of the two groups do not know themselves. They comply with his instructions.

    “This is a huge success for Nigeria Police. The force would build on this success and continue to prevent kidnap cases and criminality in the country.  He has two mansions in Magodo GRA Phase II worth about N300million. He has two houses in highbrow area of Accra, Ghana, among many other properties, such as exotic cars, expensive watches, jewellery he bought from ransom.”

  • Some of Evans’ exploits 

    Some of Evans’ exploits 

    The notorious kidnapper launched out after his return from Cape Town, South Africa in 2007, where he survived a gunshot injury inflicted on him by his drug trafficking partner.

    On his return, Evans joined the gang headed by Chyna, a Warri kidnap and armed robbery kingpin, who masterminded the abduction of billionaires, including Uyi Technical, Dan Odete, Josephine Anenih, Tomline and Young Shall Grow Motors founder Chief Vincent Obianodo, whose attempted kidnap led to the death of Chyna and two other gang members.

    Evans established his gang, whose members neither knew his house nor his telephone number. His reign of terror saw landlords in Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin on the outskirts of Lagos abandoning their homes and relocating to the island for fear of being targetted.

    Evans led the gang to kidnap 53-year-old Mbarikatta Uboma around 11am on June 16, 2012, while the victim, who arrived from Hungary, was being driven to his residence in a Toyota Camry, 2010 model by his brother. Evans’ gang, driving a Passat car, was said to have double crossed them, blindfolded Mbarikatta and whisked him away. Initially, they demanded N10million but settled for N2million after keeping the victim for three days. They collected Uboma’s personal effects before dropping him at Okota.

    • Director, Ocean Glory Commodities, Apapa, Paul Cole, 34, from Ohafia in Abia State was kidnapped on August 3, 2012, at Festac Town together with the firm’s General Manager, Jude Ugoje and a worker, Piriye Gogo. They were taken to an unknown destination by members of Evans’ gang and were released on August 6 after N5million ransom was paid to the gang around Maza-maza on the outskirts of Lagos.
    • A Lebanese, Mohammed Jamal, 22, fell victim to the gang on August 19, 2012 at Ajah. He was blindfolded and whisked away by three armed men. He was released after N7million was collected at Ojo Barracks.
    • Kingsley Nwokenta, 34, was kidnapped September 19, 2012, at Mile Two Under bridge, after he left Lebanana Bar in Festac. He paid N1.5million ransom. The gang took his black Toyota Venza and other things.
    • Anthony Ozoanidobi, 41, was kidnapped on October 10, 2012, on Marwa Road, Satellite Town. He paid N1.5million and was dropped at Apple Junction, Amuwo-Odofin.
    • Leo Abraham, 58, was kidnapped on August 20, 2012. He secured his release after paying N5million. He was later dropped on Badagry Road, Lagos.
    • Aspanda, Trade Fair businessman Cosmas Ojukwu, 45, was kidnapped January 21, last year at Festac Town. The amount and manner of his release remain unclear.
    • Chief James Uduji was picked up close to his Seventh Avenue, Festac Town residence. He was detained for six weeks. The gang collected $1million.
    • Chief Raymond Okoye was kidnapped in 2015 and was detained for two months until his relatives raised $1million.
    • A trader, Uche Okoroafor, was whisked away in 2015 and held captive for three months until his family paid $1million.
    • Another businessman, Elias Ukachukwu, was kidnapped in November 2015. He paid $1million. But the kidnappers refused to release him after collecting the initial ransom. They demanded another $1million on grounds that the victim’s relatives were rude to them. Ukachukwu stayed in their den for several months and it is unclear how and when he regained freedom.
    • Francis Umeh, an Aspanda auto parts dealer, was kidnapped in July 2016 at Raji Rasaki Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota. He spent two months in the kidnappers’ den and paid an undisclosed amount of dollars.
    • Evans and his gang met their waterloo with the kidnap of billionaire pharmacist Innocent Duru, who they wanted to kill after collecting a ransom. The victim was with the kidnappers at 21, Prophet Asaye Close, New Igando in Lagos for over five months. He eventually escaped and gave the police the information which led to the busting of the gang.

  • Evans collected $4m, N22m from 10 victims in Lagos

    Arrested kidnap kingpin Chukwudubem George Onwuamadike (aka Evans) collected $4million and N22million from 10 of his Lagos victims, it was learnt yesterday.

    The notorious criminal, who was arrested on Saturday by the police in Magodo, a highbrow neighbourhood of Lagos, has been operating with his gang since 2012. He is allegedly responsible for many high profile abductions.

    His victims were abducted across the states in the South, most of them held for many months until the last kobo requested was remitted by their relatives.

    From the loot, Evans financed his flamboyant lifestyle. He rode choice vehicles, including a Mercedes G-Wagon, wore designer wristwatches and had expensive mobile telephone handsets. He lived in luxury homes.

    Fielding questions from reporters yesterday, Evans said: “The highest amount I have collected is $1million from Festac. I don’t know my net worth. I don’t have any money in the bank. I operate only one account. I collect dollars because it’s my choice. It’s not true that victims pay money to an account in South Africa.”

  • ‘I have kidnapped ten persons, collected ransom in dollars’

    ‘I have kidnapped ten persons, collected ransom in dollars’

    A suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudi Dumeme Onuamadike , also known as Evans, who was arrested by police in Lagos said on Sunday that he chose to collect ransom in American dollars to be different from other kidnappers.

    The suspect, while being paraded at the Lagos Police Command in Ikeja, told newsmen that he started kidnapping in 2015, after he left his spare parts business, a claim that contradicted the police statement that he was declared wanted in 2013.

    He claimed that he lost N20 million to Customs officers, which made him to leave his trade.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspect was arrested in his mansion in Magodo area of the state on Saturday.

    Evans, who wasn’t sure of how many people he had kidnapped, said the highest he had collected as ransom was one million dollars.

    “I can’t figure out how much I have collected so far or how many people I have kidnapped, but I have kidnapped up to 10 since 2015.

    “I chose to collect ransom in dollars to be different, and the maximum I have collected as ransom so far is 1 million dollars.

    “I work in two groups. A team moves with me to kidnap victims while we hand over to the other team that takes the victim to the hide out.

    “Kingsley introduced me to kidnapping, but I usually get my ammunition from one Chinedu and Ehis whom I met at Ago-Iwoye.

    “I also do drug business that enabled me to buy my property,” the suspect said.

    According to the police, Evans collected $1million from no fewer than four of his victims.

    Among them are:

    * James Uduji, who was kidnapped close to his house at 7th Avenue Festac late last year. The Evans gang held for six weeks. He paid $1million to regain his freedom.

    * Chief Raymond Okoye – Odu- Na –Ichida,, who was kidnapped in 2015. He also paid $1million as ransom. He was released after two months in captivity.

    * Uche Okoroafor, a trader at Alaba who was also kidnapped in 2015 for three months, also paid $1million.

    * Elias Ukachukwu kidnapped November 2015 similarly paid $1million. The police said the Evans gang demanded an additional $1million, claiming family members were rude to them during negotiation.

    The Force PPRO, Jimoh Moshood said that the suspect had collected billions of naira from his victims and had property in and outside the country.

    He said that Evans was declared wanted in 2013, following a kidnap attempt that was foiled by the police.

    “He is said to have masterminded several kidnap cases in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and South-South states,’’ the police said.

    Moshood said further investigation into his activities were ongoing.

  • Police arrest notorious ‘kidnapper’ Evans

    Police arrest notorious ‘kidnapper’ Evans

    Notorious kidnap kingpin Chukwudubem Onwuamadike alias Evans was yesterday arrested by the police in Lagos after five years of trailing him.

    The native of Umudim, Nnewi was arrested at his Magodo residence around 1pm by operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    It was gathered that the operatives got intelligence Evans was hiding in his Magodo mansion where he was surrounded.

    The suspect was said to have run to the roof of the house for emergency exit but the policemen caught up with him.

    In the course of his arrest, he slammed the door against the operatives and injured a policeman.

    It was gathered that four AK47 rifles and over 50 magazines were recovered from the house.

    Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris had announced N30million bounty for anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of Evans.

    Evans, security forces said, has been responsible for many high profile armed robberies in the southwest, south and eastern parts of the country.

    Evans was said to be a brilliant criminal, who has given security forces sleepless nights.

    He was said to have collected billions of naira as ransom from his victims, including expatriates, business moguls and public office holders.

    A police source, who hinted on the arrest, said Idris deployed all resources at the Force’ disposal in the hunt for Evans.

    He said their focus in the last one month had been to catch Evans alive so that Nigerians can have peace.

    On how the suspect was arrested, the source: “Someone called and gave information on his whereabouts. When we got there, he hid inside the roof of the house. He could not withstand the pressure on him from the police.

    “While Vampire was the most deadly kidnapper in the history of Nigeria and was caught some months ago during a gun battle, Evans remains the most brilliant, richest and crafty kidnapper in the country’s history.”

    Contacted, the police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) said the suspect would be paraded this afternoon.

    The suspect told police investigators he had two houses in Magodo, which he brought for N130million and N70million.

    Claiming to have been in the kidnapping business for 10 years, Evans also confessed to have two other houses in Ghana with four bedroom duplex each.

    He claimed to have a wristwatch he bought for $170,000 and nine phones, three of which cost $6,000 each.

    The kidnap kingpin said he sent his wife away when he realised the police were closing in on them.

    He said he relocated to Ghana and was planning to travel abroad before he was caught.

    The suspect is currently being interrogated by the police.

  • Police to demolish kidnappers’ den

    Police to demolish kidnappers’ den

    Plans are underway to demolish the two bedroom apartment used by notorious kidnapper, Evans and his gang as hideout.

    The building, located at 19 Ataye Street, Lanre Bus Stop, Igando, was uncovered last Friday after an industrialist, Donatus Duru, who was kidnapped in February, escaped and ran to the police.

    Although the suspects were not found in the building, the police recovered four AK 47 rifles, six plate numbers, one lawn mower, two Berretta pistols with four fully loaded Magazines, one military camouflage cap, two locally made leg chains, a bullet proof vest, 59 AK 47 magazines, 1,272 live ammunition, a Toyota Hiace bus and a motorcycle.

    Displaying the recovered firearms on Tuesday, the state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, said the command was in talks with the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice on the demolition of the building as stipulated by the recently passed Anti-kidnapping law.

    He said the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has promised N30 million reward to anyone with information that would lead to Evans’ arrest.

    Owoseni also disclosed that another kidnappers’ den was uncovered at Ijegemo Creek in FESTAC Town, Amuwo Odofin.

    He said: “The robust reward is for whoever that would whistle blow and reveal the whereabouts of Evans and aid us in apprehending him and his gang members.

    “We will take over the house and demolish it in accordance with the newly enacted Lagos State Law against kidnappers. We will work with the office of the Attorney General.

    “We arrested two suspects and during interrogation, it was discovered that they were working for Evans, who has been on the wanted list of police for four years.

    “We are working assiduously to ensure that we nab Evans by all means possible so that his reign of terror will end.”