CHUKWUDI Dumeme Onuamadike, popularly known as Evans, the alleged kidnapper who was on Saturday arrested at Magodo Estate, Lagos State, said that he had lost count of the numbers of important personalities he kidnapped and whose families he collected ransom from.
Evans also told the police that the smallest of his houses in Lagos State was bought for N130 million.
Evans was arrested by the Joint Special Forces led by the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police, the Lagos State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Technical and Intelligent Unit of the Force under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, on June 10.
The suspect, who was on Sunday paraded along with other members of his gang, also confessed to have collected several millions of dollars as well as naira from his victims.
Other members of the gang arrested were identified as Nwosu Chikodi Chukwuma, popularly known as Sudo, Suoyo Paul, popularly known as Nwana, Felix Chinemerem, Ikenna Emeka, Uchechukwu Amadi, and Ogechi Amadi.
Five AK-47 rifles, an AK-49 rifle, two English pistols, two double-barrel guns, 59 AK-47 magazines with ammunition and 1,272 live ammunition were recovered.
The gang reportedly had a partnership with the notorious kidnapping gang led by Benjamin Osinachi, popularly known as China, who was killed a few years ago.
Paul allegedly supplied rifles and ammunition to Evans, while Evans and the late China worked together in the abduction of the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan, in 2013.
The two notorious kidnappers also reportedly kidnapped a Federal High Court judge in Lagos, among other prominent figures.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, paraded the suspects before newsmen on Sunday and listed some of Evans’ victims as Mbarikatta William Uboma, Paul Cole, Director with Ocean Glory Commodities, Apapa, Mohammed Jamal, a Lebanese, Kingsley Nwokenta, Anthony Ozoanidobi, Leo Abraham, Ojukwu Cosmas, James Uduji, Chief Raymond Okoye, Uche Okoroafor, Elias Ukachukwu, Francis Umeh and Donatus Dunu.
The Force PRO stated that apart from kidnapping, Evans also made money from drugs business and that he was once shot in South Africa during one of his drugs trips.
The suspect narrated that “I have abducted about 10 victims. I can’t remember everything I did or those I abducted. I was importing spare parts when Nigerian Customs officers impounded my goods worth over N20 million. It’s not only kidnapping I do, I’m also into drug trafficking.”
The Junior Secondary School two dropout said that “police were able to catch me now because it was time for me to be caught. I control my operation through phone. I have people that watch the victims. Chinedu, Eyis and Kingsley used to get targets.
“I collect ransom in dollars because it’s my choice. I don’t know how much I have made so far. I don’t work with any politician, police or army. I got the weapons I used in operation from Chinedu. I met Chinedu at Ago Palace in a beer parlour. But it was Kingsley who introduced me into kidnapping. He is now late.”
Evans, who also said that the Magodo edifice was one of the smallest houses he has in Lagos, also stated that his mother was aware that he was into crime but she kicked against it.
According to the police, Evans has two buildings in Magodo, another in Igando and a hotel in Festac. He also has buildings in Anambra State, where he allegedly kept his victims hostage.
Evans said: “I started kidnapping in 2008 in Anambra State. It was from there I moved to Edo State. My mother does not come to my house, but she knows that I am into crime. She just doesn’t support it. I bought this house for N130 million. I have two houses in Magodo.
“I kidnapped three persons in Anambra State. In 2010, we kidnapped the Director of Dan Odiete. We collected N100 million. The men who did the job with me were from Warri, Delta State. I kidnapped another victim and collected N10 million.”
He revealed that “I moved to Lagos in 2013. I really don’t know the names of people I have kidnapped in FESTAC Town. But if I see any of my victims, I will recognize them and I’ll be able to tell how I abducted them.”
A female member of the gang, Ogechi Ubechukwu Amadi, narrated her involvement thus: “I came to Lagos from Port Harcourt in 2016 when my husband asked me to come. They only used my name to buy the house in Igando. I don’t cook for them; the only food I cooked for them was when my husband asked me to come to Lagos three weeks ago, saying that he has some money he wanted to give me for our upkeep.”
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