A six-man gang of kidnappers, accused of co-opting a police officer in their efforts to kidnap a London-based oil company worker identified simply as Engr. John, was smashed by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command during the week.
In their confessional statements, the gang members admitted that they contacted a police officer identified simply as Christian to be part of the kidnapping effort, but unknown to them, Christian simply brought in more policemen from SARS, who pretended to be working with the kidnappers until they were arrested.
Narrating their individual roles in the kidnapping attempt to The Nation, the suspects said they were shocked to the marrow when they discovered that the people they had recruited were police officers who were busy giving details of their kidnapping plans to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Alkali through the officer in charge of SARS, Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police, on a daily basis.
Confessing his involvement in the kidnapping attempt, the leader of the gang, Mr. Osundu Njoku (26), a native of Isu, Ebonyi State said: "I was jobless when I was in the East, so I decided to relocate to Lagos to see if I could make easy money like some of my friends who had made it in Lagos.
"When I got to Lagos, I had no place to call my house. Fortunately for me, after sleeping in motor parks and on the streets, I met one Chinedu, a bus conductor who agreed to accommodate me in his room at 54, Alafia Stret, Festac Town, Lagos, pending the time I will get my own room. After some weeks, I sat Chinedu down and told him that we must look for something to do to help ourselves to get the type of money we came to look for in Lagos.
"One day, I contacted another friend called Raphael and told him that I had a plan for us to make quick money. I told him that I had a police man we could use to extort money from people who sell drugs like cocaine and Indian hemp and other contrabands.
I told Raphael that what it required was to go round and look for people who sell drugs. Then we would contact the police friend whose presence would make them to bring out money, which we would later share.
"Later, I told Raphael that after sleeping, I hit on a bigger idea that could fetch more money. When he demanded to know the plan, I told him it was kidnapping, and he said it was a beautiful idea.
"Raphael then told me that he knew of a big man, an engineer working for a big oil company based in London but also resided in Festac Town. He said the big man's house help was his girlfriend whom he intended to marry and that they were from the same town.
"I told him that I had a police friend we could use and that his name was Christian. But the most pressing problem was how to get a gun because a gun was very important for such an operation. I asked Raphael whether he knew where we could get a gun and he said his cousin had a gun which his elder brother kept in his room before travelling back to London.
"Raphael insisted that some money would have to be given his cousin to agree to release the gun. He said the cousin found the gun while sweeping his elder brother's room and even went to school with the gun. He reassured me that he could get the gun from his cousin.
"I told Christian that I would not touch the gun and that we were involving the police so that they could cover certain things up. Besides, people would not raise eye-brows if they saw a gun in the hands of a police man. Christian promised to bring two or three policemen into the gang.
"But my position as the leader was that I was the one to give the sharing formula which would depend on how much ransom we got. In this particular case, we targeted between N5 million and N20 million. We also decided on the role each member would play."
Confessing also, the second suspect, Raphael Okoye (23) from Achalla, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra state said: "Osundu called me and told me his plan. He said he would make sure I got enough money to start a big business like most big boys who had succeeded in Lagos.
"He also told me that he knew many police officers who would even be members and follow us to perfect the deal. He said the challenge was to find a big target or big man worth millions of naira. I then told him (Osundu) that I knew of one big man living in Festac Town and that his house help, Chinasa, was my girlfriend whom I intended to marry. I told him I would visit her and put her on line.
"Later, I went to see her at Festac Town and she gave me N20, 000 after I had told her that what the gang needed from her was full information about her master, Engineer John. She said her master would travel abroad on Wednesday and would likely use his car to the airport. She also said she would make sure her master paid the ransom through her, since his family was based abroad.
"When I informed Osundu that I had contacted Chinasa, he started calling me on the phone. When I could not answer his phone calls because I was scared, he started sending text messages.
"On Sunday, I went to see him. There I met the police officer with him and the police officer told me to take him to the engineer's house for surveillance. When we came near the place, I pointed at the house. He dropped me and gave me N100 to eat and I left.
"In the night, they called me again. When I came I saw Lucky (a police officer) who went to collect the gun. From there, we went to one hotel and I told them I would not enter because they did not tell me that gun would be involved in the job. My target was to get between 100 and 200 thousand naira to start a business and perform my marriage rites and wedding.
"I felt bad when I was handcuffed. It was then that I realised that the police had penetrated our ranks by pretending to be members of our gang. I also felt bad for betraying my girlfriend. But I should not be blamed too much, because my wife to be has high taste and I needed big money to maintain her."
The third suspect, Chinasa Ozoemena (21) from Achalla Awka North, Anambra State and the house help to the engineer, said, "I was introduced to the engineer by my town's girl, Chinyere, who is serving the engineer also. I started working for the man six months ago. I live in Festac with my boss. I knew Raphael from Achalla. He came to our house at 206 C-Close House 5, Festac Town on Sunday August 7, 2011, after church service. We went to a nearby beer parlour where I told him that I wanted to resign because the N8,000 monthly salary could not solve my problem. I told him I needed more money to further my education, assist my sick mother who is suffering from arthritis and my two younger brothers.
"Raphael said there was a way we could do it and I told him I was not strong enough to do the job. He begged me to give him N20,000 loan, which I gave him because I wanted him to be my husband.
"He told me to speak with Osundu and Osundu said what they needed from me was information. He asked whether my master had a gun and I said yes, and that he would travel on Wednesday August 10, 2011. He asked what type of car he had and I said a Land Cruiser 450 and one Honda, but that I did not know the one he would use.
"At about 1.am, they called me and I told them that my boss was sleeping and I did not have the key to the gate. When I called again, it was another voice that answered, saying they had a warrant to search my room. My boss called the senior girl, Chinyere, and they later arrested me. I regret meeting a criminally-minded fiancé."
The fourth suspect, Ugochukwu Nwaokike (24) resides at 2, Ifezue Street Fege in Onitsha South Local Government Area, Anambra State and a graduate of Chemical Engineering from Nnamdi Azikiwe University. He said: "See, my friend Osundu is owing me N45,000. He said after the business, he would double it for me. Since February 2011, I have been disturbing him to give me the money I lent to him.
"He called me and told me that he had a plan in Lagos and said my elder brother left a gun and that they needed the gun for kidnapping in Lagos. I gave him the gun and he hid it inside DVD and we entered a luxury bus to Lagos. When we reached Lagos, Osundu lodged us in a hotel where he told us that the deal would be 50-50l.
"I was a member of the Black Axe when I was in 200 level in the university. My parents felt bad when they heard that I was arrested for kidnapping. I was born again in the cell and I wish my parents will forgive me for denting their image and disappointing them."
The fifth suspect, Obiorah Ekejiuba (25) from Arondizuogu, Imo State resides at 8 Nwuzor Street, Wokiwo Layout, Anambra State. He said: "My father died and I came to Lagos to see if I could get people to help me with money to bury my father. I had Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Business Administration and Management. I reluctantly followed them before I was arrested."
The sixth suspect, Ikeji Chukwudi, aged 21, lives at 31, Orji Street, Achara Layout, Enugu. The 200 level Chemical Engineering student of Anambra State University said: "My brother, Dike, came back and forgot his gun, Roger Pistol 9mmx12, with 16 live ammunition. My cousin needed the gun for kidnapping deal and they promised to give me N300,000 after collecting N20 million ransom if they succeed. But they failed.
Source: Nation
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