Evans still in custody —Police

POLICE authorities, on Saturday, dismissed insinuations that the suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly called Evans, had vanished from police custody in Lagos.

A national daily on its Saturday’s cover page alleged that Evans had been moved from his cell by about 30 heavily armed policemen, giving room to further speculations on the social media that Evans might have died in custody.

“The secrecy surrounding his whereabouts in the official quarters baffles those who have closely followed his story since his arrest.

“Some senior police officers who spoke to Saturday Sun on condition of anonymity expressed fears that Evans might not make it to the court,’’ the newspaper reported.

However, Assistant Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, on his twitter handle on Saturday in Abuja, described the alleged disappearance of Evans as “fake news’’, and urged members of the public to disregard it.

According to him, investigations into alleged criminal activities of Evans are being carried out across three countries.

The tweet, which was being re-tweeted in the social media said: “Please disregard the fake news that Evans in police custody has vanished. Investigation covering three countries still in progress – ACP Kyari.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kyari headed the Inspector-General of Police team that apprehended Evans at his residence in Magodo area of Lagos.

It will be recalled that a Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 13 for hearing in a suit filed by a Lagos based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, seeking N300 million damages against the police for alleged unlawful detention of Evans without trial.

Evans, however, was reported to have disassociated himself from suit, saying he did not authorise anybody to take legal action against the police over his detention.