Some suspected kidnappers operating in Rivers State have recounted how they perpetrated crime in several locations of the state and collected ransoms running into millions of naira.
The suspects were arrested recently by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team after the kidnapping and killing of a Divisional Crime Officer of the Afam Police Station in Rivers State, SP Moses Egbede.
They are Isaac Aforji aka Angel Boy, Philemon Barifa, Emmanuel Okechukwu alias Ezeruwa, Emeka Chukwuma, Prince Zopkara, Onyemechi Francis, a driver; Lucky Teeage, a priest; Pius Kpala, Barriston Gbara, and a youth leader, Lemon Kenneth.
It was learnt that Egbede was driving to the office in his Lexus 300 Sport Utility Vehicle on the morning of July 21, 2020 when five armed men ambushed him along Obiama Pipeline Road and took him to their camp in Agbeta in the Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
They were said to have contacted his wife, Grace, two days later and demanded N50m ransom which was later reduced to N1m.
On July 31, his son, Emmanuel, took the money to the kidnappers on Ogale Pipeline Road.
They promised to release the officer consequently but killed him two days after and dumped his corpse in a well on the orders of Aforji, who claimed that Egbede once detained his wife.
In an interview, 34-year-old Aforji, opened up on his criminal escapades ranging from illegal oil bunkering to series of kidnappings.
He said, “I am married with three children. I am from Eleme, Rivers State and attended only primary school. I learned welding for two years and later opened a welding workshop. There was a crisis in my community and my equipment was stolen. I then started to ride motorbikes.
“I got married and ventured into oil bunkering business. I had a fire accident and sustained burns. I spent all the money I had for my treatment. I was broke and met a youth leader known as Tombare. I told him about my issue and he got me involved in kidnapping.
In the first kidnapping, we collected N200,000 ransom. The second operation was a woman and her child. We were paid N300,000 as ransom and I got N30,000. We also kidnapped one Okechukwu and collected N1m ransom before we released him. I got N100,000 as my share.
“In May 2020, we kidnapped a man known as Lotto man and took him to our camp. I don’t know the amount collected as ransom but I was given N80,000.”
He said during the operation, someone identified him and reported him to the police.
Aforji stated that policemen reportedly led by the late DCO stormed his house and arrested his wife when they did not meet him.
He added, “When I didn’t show up, she was later released. I was told that the DCO Afam Police Station and one Inspector Christ were part of the police team.
“Then we kidnapped the policeman (Egbede). His cousin, one Friday, brought the job. He spent some days with us and N1m ransom was paid. I then insisted that he must be killed because he embarrassed me before my wife.
“Teddy (a gang member at large) shot him dead and his body was dumped inside a well. Teddy took away his Lexus vehicle.” (Saturday Punch)
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