How 15 Kidnap Kingpins Were Arrested in Anambra

It is no longer news that gunmen who kidnapped Chief Michael Obi,
father of John Mikel Obi, Super Eagles' midfielder and Chelsea star
and demanded four billion US Dollars as ransom, were arrested recently
in Anambra State. What is however news is that the kidnappers carried
out the nefarious act in August, 2011 in Jos, Plateau State and were
arrested in Anambra State in August 2014, three years later to pay
dearly for their nefarious activities.

The same deadly gang was equally alleged to have kidnapped the
Personal Assistant to the former Commissioner of Works in Anambra
State, Mr Clement Ayika (Captain), Mr Pius Maduka, elder brother to
Chief Cosmas Maduka of the Coscharis Group, among several others, on
various dates and demanded various sums of money as ransom.

While some members of the gang had died during an exchange of gun fire
with the police, others were charged to court, just like some of their
houses were recently demolished by the state government.

Incidentally, they were arrested during the present regime of Governor
Willie Obiano who has, from day one of his administration, sworn not
to allow criminals operate in the state freely.

The arrest of over 21 kidnappers by the Police across the state in the
last one month has thus sent warning signals to the hoodlums. A source
explained that of this number now in Police net, 15 had been on the
wanted list while two of the suspects are already being prosecuted in
the courts. Government sources quoted Governor Obiano as saying that
some of the high profile kidnap cases carried out by the suspects was
that of the father of Super Eagles and Chelsea Football star, John
Mikel Obi.

The governor was quoted to have disclosed this while reacting to the
latest demolition exercise carried out in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government
Area of the state for two consecutive days. A total of six bungalows
belonging to kidnap king-pins and their collaborators in the Awkuzu
area which were used as dens for several victims were pulled down.

An obviously elated Obiano was further quoted as saying that "the
state is winning the war against criminals and has continued to
empower Operation Kpochapu, the state joint security team, with
necessary equipment and gadgets including over 60 security vehicles to
aid their operations. Governor Obiano explained that the State
Vigilante Service is being re-organized and the personnel retrained
and screened to weed out bad eggs with a retired Commissioner of
Police now in-charge. He stated that the drone and closed circuit
television and other crime detection techniques and technology
deployed across the state are yielding desired result, thus the
criminals and miscreants have no hiding places anymore. The governor
commended the security agencies and urged the citizens to continue to
support the government to sustain the tempo.

The demolished buildings included a four-bed room bungalow at Umudunu
Dusogu, Awkuzu built by one Izuchukwu who died in a gun battle with
the Police on 9thFebruary 2014; and another four bedroom bungalow with
adjoining boys quarters owned by the Nwadike family of Obinetiti
Dusogu village, Awkuzu, which was used as a den for kidnap victims by
one of their daughters, one Baby Igbanugo Nwadike, now at large, and
members of her gang.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr. Finihan Adeboye
who spoke on the development, said that the buildings were used
severally for incarceration of kidnap victims who were compelled to
pay millions of Naira to secure their freedom. He confirmed that one
of the suspects confessed that over N20million was realized as ransom
from the house at Umudunu, while over N80 million was collected from
several victims kept at the Obinetiti, Awkuzu, kidnap den. DCP Adeboye
explained that the demolition exercise is in keeping with the
provisions of the law and the directive of Governor Willie Obiano, who
has revoked the rights of occupancy of the building and land.

According to DCP Finihan Adeboye, "the exercise is a confirmation of
the resolve of the state governor and the entire security agencies
that the war against crime and all forms of criminality is a
continuous one, which will not be stopped until the state is rid of
all forms of criminality."

Some residents of the area expressed joy that the governor is carrying
the war against kidnappers to all nooks and crannies of the state and
praised him for sustaining the war against criminals in Anambra State.