3rd October, 2012
The leader of a kidnapping gang operating in Festac, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, Henry Emenike, 30, has confessed that his gang has made more than N20 million since they started kidnapping people in Lagos two Months ago.
Abia State-born Emenike made the revelation when he was paraded along with seven suspected members of his gang, including a woman at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos, Tuesday.
The other members paraded with Emenike are Uche Ogbansi, 30, from Abia State, popularly known as Rasta; Emeka Obasi , 33, from Ebonyi State; Oliver Nwabueze, 30, from Imo State; a commercial motorcycle rider who allegedly provided his bike for their movement, Chibuzor Osuagwu, 29, also from Imo State and a lady, Ngozi Onuonwu, 36, from Umuleri, Anambra State.
Emenike told his interrogators that they successfully carried out more than four operations in Lagos where the victims’ families were made to pay various amount of money as ransom.
He said the last operation his gang carried out in Festac was foiled by the police and in the process the victim died.
He said he was in palm oil business in Aba before he went into kidnapping.
Emenike said whenever they abducted a victim, they usually kept the victim in the care of Uche Ogbansi, popularly known as Rasta at Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.
The suspects were arrested by the police at Festac and were brought to the command headquarters.
The Area Commander in charge of Festac, Mr. Dan Okoro, explained that the police trailed the gang before some of them were arrested while others were still at large.
He said that the gang has been behind kidnapping in Lagos; especially in Festac axis.
Okoro said the recent kidnapping that resulted in the killing of the victim, Odi Nwaeze, was carried out by the gang.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe