Police arrest 4 kidnappers in Imo

The report by Punch says one of the suspect was apprehended during a raid after the police found him in possession of cocaine he reportedly gave gave out informations on the whereabout of his fellow gang members in police custody.

The kidnappers reportedly confessed to a series of kidnapping within Imo and Abia states,

According to one of the suspects called Mbah he confession he was deported from Angola where he had initially travel for a better life.

“They said that I do not have up to N1m in my account. They said if I did not have enough money that I was likely going to commit crime. It was the Igbo community that conspired against me. I genuinely wanted to do business there but they refused. Back in Nigeria, I was broke and since all my efforts to live a good life were frustrated, I decided to survive by any possible means.

“The only person who gave me accommodation when I came back home was Richard (now in prison) and he was the one who brought me to Owerri. He told me what he was doing for a living and the need to return to Owerri for full time kidnapping. He introduced me to Nduka as a capable hand. I assisted them to raise money to buy enough equipment (guns) needed for the job.

“On January 7, 2016 when we were patrolling MCC Road, close to Toronto roundabout in Owerri, we spotted the man driving an exotic car. We kidnapped him. After many days of negotiation, his family paid the ransom of N1m.” he said

Mbah spoke on his arrest:

“I realised that God allowed Richard to call while I was praying with my family to use that to warn me to stop crime. I am destined to be a pastor; it’s just that I have not accepted my calling. Kidnapping was just a temporary job for me. Now, I preach to my co-inmates. Some of them have even given their lives to Christ.”

Meanwhile, the victim of the kidnap, Victor Ogadinma, also shared his experience

“I was in the front of my house waiting for my family members to open the gate, when three heavily armed men accosted me and forced me out of the car to the back seat. It was around 7.30pm, and my wife came out while they were struggling to push me into the car but they pushed her down.

“I told them I had N220,000 and $2,000 and some European currencies. I was picked on January 7 and released January 10. They offered me food but I chose to drink only water.” says Victor

Items retrieved from the suspect’s hideout in Umuakpala village in Abia State, include two AK 47 rifles, two magazines, one Beretta pistol, one pump action gun and 52 rounds of live ammunition.