Police arrest ex-convicts, others, Imo most dreaded kidnappers

www.odogwublog.com reports that Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo state police command led by its commander, Godfrey Victor, earlier today gunned down three dreaded kidnappers, even as two suspects are ex-convicts.

Imo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Andrew Enwerem told newsmen that the gang was dreadful like that of late Henry Nwabueze, popularly called Vampire.

He said SARS operatives engaged the gang in a gun battle at one of their hideouts at Atta in Njaba Local Government Area of the state on Saturday evening.

Enwerem explained that the gang was so sophisticated that they operated using special number plates, to beat the unsuspecting public.

According to him, two suspects were ex-convicts who had already served between eight to seven years jail terms at the Owerri prisons on crime relating to armed robbery.

The suspects captured alive include: Chinwendu Sylvester, 24 years from Mbano; Chidera Nzeagwu 28 years from Ogbaku In Mbaitoli LGA who had served out his sentence at the Owerri prisons; and Chetachi Ogbenna 36 years from Amuzu in Obingwa council area of Abia state.

He explained that the "three suspects led us to one of their hideouts at Atta in the Njaba LGA of Imo state, and on sighting our men, the four other kidnappers opened fire on the Police. 

During the gun duel, three out of the four kidnappers lost their lives and one whose identity was given as Ifeanyi by one of the gang members fled. But we will apprehend him soon", Enwerem assured.

According to Enwerem ,the suspects had been on the trails of the police for a long time and had kidnapped many people.

He disclosed that the kidnap kingpins who are alive led the operatives of the SARS unit of the command led by its commander, SP Victor to their den after they were arrested at different points.

Enwerem disclosed that the operation was coordinated by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Ezike who has instructed that all the black spots in the state be raided on regular bases .

He said " we are happy to inform that the command under the strategic coordination of the Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike has arrested the most wanted kidnap syndicates in the state. The operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the command led by the commander, SP Godfrey Victor had arrested three of the kidnapers at various points in the state", he explained.

The Police spokesman disclosed that items recovered from the gang include a Prado jeep with the registration Number PF1843 SPY; one Jeta vehicle, three expended cartridges ,two AK47 ammunition, 20 live cartridges, one pump action gun,a bottle filled with charms and the sum N390,000.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the suspects, Nzeagwu, a mechanic and an ex convict said that they operated between Onitsha ,Enugu and Rivers states but made Imo state their base were victims were kept until ransoms were paid.

The suspect who said that his role in the gang was only to drive victims to their den ,informed that Sylvester and Ogbenna ,were assigned to watch over the victims until relatives paid the ransoms.

According to him, one of the dead kidnappers addressed as Boss was the overall head and the owner of the syndicate which he described as

"business".

He said " when a job pays, he pays us according to the role we played, one of our victims paid N2million and he  gave me about 380,000. In all from December he gave me above N600,000 in all the operations", Nzeagwu explained.

A Police source told newsmen that the gang leader accumulated millions via the crime saying "it is unfortunate that we could not capture him alive. He was a multimillionaire, he bought cars and gave out to communities where he received chieftaincy tittles".

According to the source, the Police is in possession of some vital documents that will aid in investigations. "Our CP wants a clean job, three are dead and three are alive but we believe that they have a chain and we are going after them", the police source stated.