Evans
Evans, described as the most notorious, high
profile kidnapper – and the richest in Nigeria –
was, at last, unmasked.
Before yesterday’s arrest, the Police had placed
a N30million bounty on his head.
When Policemen broke into his room to arrest
him, he was said to have sheepishly said, “I
know this is the end,m I am finished”.
His real name is Chukwudidumeme Onuamadike,
aged 36, and hails from Umudim Village, Nnewi
North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Sunday Vanguard has been made to understand
that during preliminary questioning, Evans
confessed to having been behind virtually all the
high profile kidnap incidents in places including
but not limited to Lagos, Port Harcourt, Onitsha,
Aba.
His exploits also included the 2013 attempted
kidnapping of the owner of The Young Shall
Grow Motors. He was said to have confessed
that the kidnap job was brought to him by one
Emeka.
He also confessed that he has two properties in
Ghana, one of which is where his wife and five
children have reportedly moved into.
Among many items recovered from him
yesterday during his arrest were expensive
phones, one of which is put at a cost of $6,000.
His arrest yesterday, came just few weeks after
many members of his gang, including his second
and third in command, were rounded up at
different locations in the country.
Their arrest came few days after one of their
victims, Donatus Dunu, a wealthy owner of a
pharmaceutical company at Ilupeju, Lagos,
escaped miraculously from the hideout where
they kept him for months.
He was abducted in front of his office in Ilupeju,
on February 14, 2017, after he closed for the day,
by gun-totting young men who blocked his car
with their SUV and threw him into the booth of
the car.
Members of his family later paid about N150m to
effect his release.
But the kidnappers insisted on getting N500m.
They threatened to kill their victim if the full
ransom was not paid.
Luckily, few weeks after the payment of the
ransom and their consistent threat to kill their
victim, Dunu miraculously escaped from their
hideout at Igando, a suburb of Lagos.
He, thereafter, alerted security agents who
swung into action and started rounding up
members of the gang.
information made available to Sunday Vanguard
by very dependable sources suggested that
efforts of the police paid off on Friday night,
after they were able to locate Evans’ where
about, using sophisticated communication
gadgets provided by the Inspector-General of
Police.
Police sources hinted that while almost all police
formations in the country were on red alert trying
to locate the notorious kidnap kingpin, the
Inspector-General of Police, who was visibly
angry with the delay, sent three special teams
attached to his office down to Lagos to
complement the efforts of those on ground.
It was further gathered that the teams came
with new sophisticated communication gadgets
for the operation.
Intelligence reports had indicated that failure to
arrest the Evans was not unconnected with his
possession of some state of the art jamming
device, which made it easy for him to serially
knock off signals that would have enabled men
of the force pin him down.
The change in equipment, according to sources,
paid off at last, after detectives were able to
locate his where about late Friday night – even
though his telephone sets were already switched
off to avoid detection.
He was reportedly traced to his palatial home in
Magodo, Lagos, while he had already packed his
bags and baggages, ready to fly to South Africa,
the next day.
It was gathered that after his arrest, the elated
members of the IGP’s team, led by Deputy
Superintendent of Police, Philip, immediately
alerted their leader, ACP Aba Kyari, who gave the
Inspector-General the cheering news.
In Lagos, officers and men of other formations,
including civilians, rushed to catch a glimpse of
the dare-devil kidnapper that gave them
sleepless nights. It was learned that people even
came from far-away Festac and Amuwo-Odofin/
Ojo axis where he held sway during his inglorious
reign by abducting wealthy men and forcing
them to pay not less than N500m before they
were set free. As at the time of going to press,
detectives were yet to give access to the
suspect but a police source said he may be
paraded by the state Commissioner of Police,
Fatai Owoseni, today.
His Exploits
1 Mbarikatta William Uboma, 35, kidnapped
June 16th, 2012, at about 11am, on his arrival
from Hungary, while he was close to his house.
He was in the company of his brother, on their way
from the airport, when another car emerged and
blocked theirs. They grabbed Uboma, blindfolded
him and forcefully abducted him – he was taken to
an unknown destination. They later demanded a
ransom of N10M. However, N2M was later paid
while they collected other personal accessories. He
was finally dropped at Okota on the third day.
2. Paul Cole, 34, from Ohafia in Abia State. A
Director with Ocean Glory Commodities, Apapa,
he was kidnapped on August 3rd, 2012, at
Festac Town, together with his General
Manager, Jude Ugoje, and another staff, Piriye
Gogo, and taken to an unknown destination.
They demanded for N10M. On August 6th, 2012,
they collected N5M ransom at Maza-maza,
before letting their victim off the hook.
3. Mohammed Jamal, 22, a Lebanese, was
kidnapped on August 19, 2012, at Ajah by three
armed men, taken away and blindfolded. N7M
ransom was later paid at Ojo Barracks.
4. Kingsley Nwokenta, 34, was kidnapped on
September 19, 2012, at Mile two under bridge,
after he left Lebanana Bar, in Festac. Later, he
paid N1.5M ransom while they made away with
his black Toyota Venza and other accessories.
5. Anthony Ozoanidobi, 41, was kidnapped on
October 10th, 2012, along Marwa Road Satellite
town. Ransom of N1.5M was paid after which
he was released at Apple junction, Amuwo-
Odofin
6. Leo Abraham 58, was Kidnapped on August
20, 2012. He paid ransom of N5M and was later
released along Badagry road, Lagos.
7. Ojukwu Cosmas, 45, sells Toyota parts at
Aspanda Trade fair. He was kidnapped on
January 21, 2016, at Festac town. It was not
clear when and how he was released.
8. James Uduji was kidnapped close to his
house at 7th Avenue, Festac Town, late last
year. Held for 6 six weeks. He paid a ransom of
$1M.
9. Chief Raymond Okoye – Odu-Na-Ichida. He
was kidnapped in 2015. He also paid $1M as
ransom, after being held captive for 2months
10. Uche Okoroafor, a trader at Alaba, was
kidnapped in 2015, and held captive for three
months. He also parted with $1M.
11. Elias Ukachukwu was kidnapped in
November 2015. He, too, paid $1M. The date of
his release could not be ascertained but it was
gathered that his abductors were insisting on
another $1M ransom, claiming family members
were rude to them during negotiation.
12 Francis Umeh, also a spare parts dealer at
Aspanda, was kidnapped in July 2016, at Raji
Rasaki Estate. Released after two months in
captivity.
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