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Imo monarch, pastor arrested for kidnapping

…gang killed NDLEA officer, abducted policeman -CP

 

Police have arrested a traditional ruler in Awara, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Andrew Okwuegbunwa, for alleged involvement in kidnapping. The police also arrested a cleric, Pastor Caleb Agu, who is the alleged head of the syndicate.

 

Agu told the police he provided leadership and spiritual guidance for the gang. The gang had kidnapped Louis Obodo at Mgbala Agwa and Inspector Oscar Mbaeri in Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area; Chigozirim Nnaji in Egwedu, Atta in Njaba Local Government Area; Desmond Okonkwo in Oru West Local Government Area; and Anyanwu Amarachi on July 19, 2020 after which police commenced a manhunt.

 

Okwuegbunwa, who hails from Obor community in Awara, confessed to providing his unregistered Lexus 330 Jeep for kidnap activities of the syndicate. Briefing journalists yesterday, the state Police Commissioner, Isaac Akinmoyede, said the syndicate had abandoned the Jeep during an exchange of gunfire with operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) and Anti- Kidnapping Unit of the command.

 

The traditional ruler, however, confessed that the syndicate paid him N3 million in lieu of his now impounded Lexus 330 with fake registration number URM 404 EL Edo State. He said: “My nephew took my vehicle to do kidnapping, I am not one of them. Though they have used my vehicle about four times, and they gave me money.”

 

The gang, which operated in an organised structure, had Ikechukwu Njoku as protocol officer; Ebenezer Obioha as operational commander and executor of the gang; Fabian Obioha, the gang armourer; while Bernard Uzoma was the native doctor who provided protection from operational hazards and arrests.

 

The police commissioner said the gang had in the past, ambushed and attacked a team of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officers during which they killed one operative instantly and left two operatives seriously wounded. According to Akinmoyede, the gang absconded with the victims’ rifles on May 15, 2020.

 

He said: “The sum of N4.2 million, one Lexus 330 SUV, four AK47 rifles, one LAR rifle, one SMG rifle, and 120 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.”

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