A 27-year-old man, Endurance Udebu, has been paraded by the Edo State Police Command for allegedly threatening to kidnap the Head Teacher of Edeikholo Grammar School, Ubiaja, Mr. Ukhun Jacob.
He was alleged to have demanded N400,000 from Jacob, or else he would kidnap and kill him.
The Nation learnt that Jacob started looking for money to pay, but was advised to report to the police.
It was gathered that the suspect was arrested through high technical intelligence at Illushi in Esan Southeast Local Government.
Endurance told reporters that he resorted to extorting money from Jacob because he needed money.
He said he collected the phone number of the head teacher from a friend.
Police Commissioner Mohammed Danmallam said the suspect would soon be arraigned.
The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested two suspected kidnappers while planning to kidnap their boss, one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos , CP Zubairu Muazu confirmed the arrest to newsmen on Thursday at the command’s headquarters.
He said that the suspects were arrested based on intelligence report.
“It is based on credible intelligence report received that some newly employed staff of one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant of Bucknor area of Ejigbo, Lagos, were holding nocturnal meeting on how they would kidnap and keep their employer incommunicado until a ransom of N60 million was paid that they were arrested.
“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ejigbo Police Station, CSP Okuwobi Olabisi, swiftly mobilized police detectives and stormed the venue of the meeting where two of the employees were promptly rounded up and brought to the station.
“The confessional statements of the suspects, led to the arrest of one other suspect at Isolo area of Lagos State.
“The suspects in unison, have confessed to the crime. They added that had their plan pulled through, they would have demanded a N60 million ransom from the business man.
“Suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation,” he said.
In a similar development, on Tuesday, Feb. 19, about 1a.m, the Divisional Police Officer, Sabo Division, said he received a distress call that some hoodlums were burgling a store at No.11 Oweh Street, Jibowu.
According to the CP, the officer led a team of policemen to confront the hoodlums.
“On getting close to the scene, they sighted a mercury villager Space Wagon, with Reg. No. PG 393 AAA parked in front of the store.
“However, the hoodlums, on seeing the approaching police team, sped off, driving against traffic in their desperation to evade arrest.
“They were, however, given a hot chase by the police operatives.
“As a result, the occupants of the bus started firing at the team. The policemen fired back at them and in the process, the bus stopped abruptly, falling into a ditch.
“Some of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds but one of them who sustained bullet injury on the right leg was found with three big sacks containing different sizes of shoes, bags, clothes and other items.
“He was arrested and taken to the station. During interrogation, he gave his name as Paul Ozurumba of No.6 Igbobi Sabe Street,Jibowu, Yaba.
“A search warrant was executed in his house and the following items, ranging from refrigerators, pharmaceutical drugs, bale of underwear, televisions and other property suspected to have been stolen were recovered from him.
Gunmen have kidnapped Abia State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Donatus Nwankpa.
The Nation learnt that Nwankpa was kidnapped by the hoodlums at Aro Ngwa junction, along Aba-Enugu Expressway, about 11pm on his way from Umuahia, the capital, to Aba, the commercial nerve centre, to prepare for the visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was gathered that members of the party were thrown into panic following the breaking of the news of Nwankpa’s abduction.
APC Publicity Secretary Comrade Benedict Godson, confirming Nwankpa’s kidnap, told reporters yesterday in Aba that the party got information that there were plots by the opposition to disrupt the party’s presidential rally on Tuesday, but it never expected that it would get to the level of planning to kidnap the chairman.
He said: “There was a plot to disrupt today’s visit by the president, but we never expected this. He was kidnapped and till now, we’ve not heard from him. He remains our authentic chairman. Kidnapping Donatus Nwankpa, a foundation builder, a mover and the man who has brought this party from nowhere to somewhere cannot stop APC from winning in Abia.
“I’m telling you authoritatively that there are some persons in the opposition party, who might have done this in collaboration with some people in our own party and we are telling them that this is not the right way to play politics.
“This move cannot stop Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, a godsend industrialist, from winning in Abia. People are afraid and according to our chairman, it’s obvious that some persons were planted in our party by the opposition to distract the party.
“We are not accusing anybody, but we know that the evil people are trying their best. However, they’ll fail. We are sure our chairman will be back soon because he’s a good man, a man of God. We appeal to his abductors to release him, for he means well for Abia State.”
Also reacting to the kidnap, a chieftain of the party, Acho Obioma, wondered why the gunmen should go after an easy-going and friendly man.
Obioma, who represented Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal Constituency, implored the gunmen to release Nwankpa.
He called on heads of security agencies to ensure that the victim is rescued from his abductors.
A Director of Administration in Gbonyin Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Mr. David Jejelowo and his driver have been kidnapped by a group of unidentified gunmen and whisked away to unknown destination.
Jejelowo was kidnapped on Monday evening along Ado-Ijan road while returning from Ode Ekiti, the local government headquarters to Ado Ekiti capital city.
The incident occurred few days after an accountant with Emure local government, Mr Abayomi Ajayi was killed and two other officers of the Emure local government were kidnapped along Ise-Ikere road.
The Nation gathered that Jejelowo was returning to Ado Ekiti around 7.15pm with his official car when he was abducted on the way.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, confirmed the incident, saying the driver had been released.
“We confirmed the kidnap incident on Monday. It happened along Ado-Ijan road and it involved the Director of Administration of Gbonyin local government and his driver.
“But the driver has been released, we can confirm that to you. We are monitoring the situation and our men are working assiduously to ensure that the man is rescued from the hideout.
“The driver has been giving us useful information that we are going to work on to facilitate the release”, he said.
Ikechukwu added that the command is strategising on the way to tame the pillaging kidnappers, who were fond of abducting men of affluence with the sinister intention to collect ransom from them.
The spokesman charged the members of the public to give sensitive and veracious information that would help in tracking down these miscreants.
A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday ordered the remand in prison custody of four persons for alleged cultism and kidnap.
The suspects are Barizaa Teeiye, 25, Emmanuel Osaroejiji, 27, Nale Dumbor, 34 and Bari Jonah, 31.
They are accused of belonging to a cult, ‘Degbam’, and participating in its activities.
They allegedly kidnapped Chibuike Ezenkwe while armed with locally-made pistols and other weapons.
They allegedly carried out their act at Onne in Eleme Local Government on May 29, 2018.
The three-count charges of kidnapping, secret cult and similar activities were not read to them because the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter, hence they did not take any plea.
Magistrate Sokari Andrew-Jaja ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody and the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
He adjourned the case till February 7 for DPP’s advice.
A Chief Magistrates Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday ordered the remand in Prison custody of four persons for alleged Cultism and Kidnap.
The suspects are Barizaa Teeiye ’25’, Emmanuel Osaroejiji ’27’, Nale Dumbor ’34’ and Bari Jonah ’31’.
They are alleged to have belonged and participated in the activities of a secret cult called ‘Degbam’.
They also allegedly kidnapped one Chibuike Ezenkwe while armed with locally made pistols and other dangerous weapons.
They allegedly carried out their evil plans at Eleme local government area, Rivers State on May 29, 2018.
The prosecutor, Wilson Isaiah told the court that their offence contravenes section 7 (C), 1 (1) of the secret cult and similar activities (prohibition) laws of Rivers State No. 6, of 2004 and 1 (2) (b) of the Rivers State Kidnap (prohibition) law number, 3 of Rivers State 2009.
The three-count charge of kidnapping, secret cult and similar activities was not read to them because the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter hence they did not take any plea.
The Magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody and the case file remitted to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.
He adjourned the case till February 7, 2019 for DPP’s advice.
Sokoto State Police Command has killed two notorious kidnap, cattle rustling and robbery suspects, including a ward head of Gidan Bunu village in Rabah Local Government.
Nineteen suspects, including a woman, were arrested in villages across Goronyo, Rabah and Illela local governments.
Items recovered from the suspects include 251 sheep, 69 cows, 29 camels, 98 blankets and seven wrappers.
The deceased ward head, Alhaji Adduwa, was the group’s armourer, who engaged the police in a shootout and got killed while attempting to escape.
The other deceased suspect, Aliyu Abdullahi, who also attempted to escape at Gawon Fulani village in Rabah Council, died in hospital.
Briefing reporters yesterday in Sokoto, spokesperson for the command, DSP Cordelia Nwawe, while parading the suspects, said the deceased ward head died in hospital while receiving treatment from gunshot injuries he sustained during the gun battle with the police tactical operations team.
“Abdullahi was arrested at Gawon Fulani village in possession of AK47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition and extra magazine. He was nabbed while attempting to escape and eventually died,” she said.
Nwawe also confirmed the arrest of a gunrunner, Lawali Aliyu, at Araba village in Illela Local Government.
The suspect, she said, was nabbed in possession of AK47 rifle while trying to smuggle it to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states for distribution to members of his gang.
“He confessed receiving the arms from one Dankani, aka America, to deliver to Ramatu Muhammad of Tursa village in Rabah Local Government. He gets his stock from Ibrahim Galmi in Niger Republic and has been involved in a number of kidnapping and robbery operations.
“Ramatu is an elderly woman, who is the custodian of the arms used by the gang.”
Nwawe said Madugu Haruna was arrested for being in charge of transportation by giving out his bike to the late Adduwa to move with the products.
She said the command remained resolute and combat ready against criminals, adding: “We will continue to make Sokoto difficult for criminals to find comfort for their operations.”
THEY were herdsmen of a different sort. Rather than shepherd cattle, they chose to resort to crime. According police reports, the suspects, who are now in Police net, allegedly specialised in robbing and kidnapping for ransom on the highways, brandishing AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons. They were for a long time dreadful lords of Enugu – Port-Harcourt Expressway, sending chilling shivers down the spines of travellers on that busy highway; they dispossessed many of their money and peace. Their reign continued until they decided to kidnap the boss of a member of the gang. This misadventure became their waterloo. It boomeranged and they landed in the arms of the dreaded Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), headed by Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, whose men have been the nemesis of many notorious robbery and kidnap gangs, including Evans. An IRT source revealed that an Ak-47 rifle and three locally made guns, were recovered from the four suspects.
The suspects were identified as Babangida Garba, Sani Mohammed, Ibrahim Dogo and Ibrahim Haruna.
They were arrested after they allegedly kidnapped a businessman, Alhaji Ulere, who sells cows at Lugbe area of Abuja and demanded a ransom of N1million from the businessman’s family.
The source further disclosed that the businessman was successfully rescued from his captors by the IRT operatives when they were alerted of the kidnapping.
It also disclosed that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the businessman if his relatives didn’t pay the N1million ransom 48 hours after it was demanded.
The source explained that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, received complaints of the businessman’s kidnap, through a petition and he directed his operatives at the IRT to investigate and track down the kidnappers.
It was further learnt that the IRT commenced investigation into the kidnap at the time the kidnappers were demanding the N1million ransom and equally threatening to kill their victim.
“The operatives swiftly took over the negotiation and made the kidnappers believe that the ransom they demanded was ready and they were made to come out of their camp to receive the ransom, the source explained, adding that when one of the kidnappers, Ibrahim Dogo, came out of the camp to receive the ransom on the mountain around City Gate area of Abuja, he was arrested by the IRT operatives, who took him immediately into the camp where they found the victim, Alhaji Ulere, in shackles.” Other members of the gang fled immediately they sighted the police.” It added that Dogo’s gang members ran to their base in Enugu State, where they had terrorised residents for many years, but they were trailed and apprehended with their operational rifles recovered.
It was also learnt that Dogo and his gang members confessed that they had carried out several robbery and kidnapping operations at various locations along the Enugu /Port Harcourt Expressway.
The source explained that the gang confessed during interrogation that they came to Abuja specifically with the intention of kidnapping Alhaji Ulere, for whom one of their gang members, Sani Mohammed, had worked. The source stated that Sani Mohammed confessed that he brought his gang to kidnap his employer because he sacked him two years ago after accusing him of stealing one of his cows.
In his confession, Sani Mohammed narrated how he joined the gang, the operations he carried out with them in Enugu and how he brought his gang to Abuja to kidnap his former boss.
Sani said: “I am from Zamfara State and I am into cattle rearing. I have no formal education but I started as a herdsman because it was the business my father was into. I came to Abuja in 2007 and I started working for Alhaji Ulere but our relationship went sour in 2016; I left him and joined my friend who was into cattle rearing in Enugu State.
“Getting there, I discovered that my friend already had a gang that was into armed robbery and kidnapping. I joined him and we started robbing motorists travelling on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. We normally blocked the expressway with heavy woods in the dead of the night. In the process, we would force the vehicles to stop and from there, we would rob all the occupants of their cash and other valuables.
In cases where our victims looked rich, we would kidnap them and take them into the bush. They would be released only when their relatives had paid ransom on their behalf.
“I can’t count the number of robberies I had taken part in but the one that got me into trouble was the kidnapping of my former boss who sells cows in Abuja.
•One of the suspects
I told my friend, Babaginda, about my boss. I told him that my boss usually saw me as a thief and that he thought I stole one of his cows. I told Babaginda that I would want us to kidnap him. Babaginda accepted; he called our other gang members and we went to Abuja.”
He continued: “When we got to Abuja, I called my boss on the phone. When he came out, we kidnapped him and kept him in a bush here in Abuja.
“When we demanded a ransom of N1million from his family, they told us that they were coming immediately with the cash, not knowing that they had gone to the police. While we were waiting for Dogo to bring the money, we got information that the police were coming after us.To be on the safer side, we abandoned my boss in the bush and absconded”.
In his confession, Ibrahim Haruna, said he is the owner of the Ak-47 rifle and that he normally received the highest share from the gang’s loots because he owns the gun.
He disclosed that he regretted taking part in the Abuja kidnapping, stressing that his gang members got him into trouble.
“This is not the only gang I have worked with. There are several of them I worked with in Enugu and other states. I bought the AK-47 rifle for N 450, 000 in Jos, Plateau State, because people with Ak-47 earn more money after each operation.
It was Babaginda who invited me for this operation and after we picked the man. I didn’t know his relatives would bring in the police while we were waiting for the ransom. I regret getting myself involved in this kidnapping.”
A House of Assembly candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Nasarawa state, David Ayele, has disclosed he paid a ransom of N2m to kidnappers to regain his freedom.
Ayele, who was kidnapped from his home in Lafia, Nasarawa State, was rescued in Pandam, Quan Pan local government of Plateau state.
The 56 –year- old victim was found wandering in the bush after he was released by his abductors.
Men of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) on patrols found Ayele near Amingo village in Namu, Pandam forest in Quan Pan LGA of Plateau state last Wednesday.
The victim is the flag bearer of APC in Obi ll constituency in Nasarawa House of Assembly for the 2019 general election.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the abductors, Adele said: “I was about driving out of my house in Lafia when three armed men accosted me at my gate and commanded me to drive them out of the town.
“I obeyed them and when we reached a point at the outskirt of Lafia, they blindfolded me and from that point I did not know where they were taking me to.
“The kidnappers informed me that they were asked to kill me instantly as soon as they pick me up but that with the interaction they have had with me, they have no reason to kill me because the story they gave them about me was different from what I was telling them.
“At the end they told me they will not kill me but will release me after I have paid a ransom of N2m. That was after three days.
“Then I called somebody from Lafia to get me the N2m. After collecting the ransom, they released me in the night and they took me to a certain point and asked me not to remove the blindfold on me until after 20 minutes.
“Then they left me and disappeared. After sometimes, I removed the blindfold to discover that I was in Plateau state.
“I was just trying if I can find any road that will lead me to where I will find people to hold me.
“Then I ran into the military patrolling the areas. In fact, it was the soldiers that told me I was in Plateau state.”
Asked whether he was able to identify his abductors, Adele said: “The kidnappers blindfolded me for three days and I only removed the blindfold long after they released me based on their instructions.
“So, there is no way I will know them because I never saw them.”
The OPSH Commander then handed over the victim to the state police command who will take necessary administrative procedures before reuniting him with his family in Lafia.
Gunmen on Tuesday evening kidnapped six workers of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke.
The Nation learnt that during the kidnap, the hoodlums killed one of the victims, while one later regained freedom.
The search for the four others has begun.
It was gathered that the victims were ambushed on their way home after work at a spot called Eti-Oni, near Agric and Onibonje area, along Ijebu-Jesa Road.
The deceased, a non-academic worker, Emmanuel Olaniyi, was shot dead by the abductors when he attempted to escape.
The institution, in a statement yesterday by its spokesperson, Wale Oyekanmi, listed the kidnapped victims as Mr. Olaleye Olalekan (Business Administration Department), Adeyeoluwa Bankole (Head of Civil Engineering department), Dr. Jesuola Ajibola (Director, OSCOTECH Ventures), Adenreti Chukwu (Secretary of Civil Engineering department), Rachael Onyinocha Akinboboye (OSCOTECH Microfinance Bank) and a yet to be identified worker.
In a phone interview, Police Commissioner Mr. Fimihan Adeoye said officers and men had been deployed in the area to rescue the remaining victims.
The Nation learnt that the gunmen had called the institution for ransom, which was not disclosed for security reason.
