UPDATE: SSS Foil Attempt to Kidnap Late President Yar’Adua’s Daughter [Photo]

Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service, Thursday said it thwarted an attempt by some kidnappers to abduct one of the daughters of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Marilyn Ogar, the agency’s spokesperson, said two suspects, Hamza Abubakar (27) and Lawrence Okoro (43) have been arrested in connection with the incident.

According to Ms. Ogar, the two suspects had on August 21 attempted to kidnap the unnamed Mr. Yar’Adua’s daughter at her construction site in the Kado area of Abuja.

She said the two suspects colluded with five others, still at large, to plan the abduction.

The five other suspects are Abu Katsina, Daddy Mohammed, Isa Keteri, Masa’udu Kateri and another person simply identified as Ik.

Ms. Ogar said Mr. Abubakar befriended Mr. Katsina, a security guard at the late president’s daughter’s construction site, who aided him to visit the Kado construction site regularly.

The SSS spokesperson said, “Having obtained sufficient information on the lady, he contacted Dennis, who was at Owerri at the time. The suspects had planned to kidnap and detain the woman at Zuba, in the residence of an acquaintance of Okoro. However, the SSS operatives, acting on actionable intelligence, foiled the plot.

“Both Hamza and Dennis and other collaborators shall be charged to court soon.”

Ms. Ogar said Mr. Okoro  and Mr. Abubakar were charged with armed robbery in 2000 and 2006 respectively and were both remanded at the same Goron Dutse Prison, Kano.

The two, the SSS said, became friends while in prison and reunited in August this year after their freedom and then plotted the kidnap of the late President’s daughter.

UPDATE: See the photo of the suspected kidnappers

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Ozekhome Urges Federal Government to Grant Amnesty to Kidnappers

Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who regained his freedom on Thursday after three weeks of his abduction, has appealed to the Federal Government to grant amnesty to kidnappers in the country.

He said this on Thursday while recounting his ordeal to newsmen at his residence in Lagos, after he was released by his abductors on Thursday morning. He described his abductors as ”angry and desperate well-read graduates” who had a network of cells across the country.

He said during his interactions with them, they told him that they were pushed into kidnapping due to unemployment and poverty. The human rights lawyer said he fell sick twice during his three-week ordeal, adding that his abductors brought a doctor who treated him for malaria and typhoid.

Watch him narrate his ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers:

He also said:

“As a matter of extreme urgency, I want the Federal Government to immediately grant amnesty to all kidnappers and institute an amnesty programme for all kidnappers.

“They told me that if they are given assurance that they will not be killed, they are ready to agree to the deal.”

He urged the government to declare a national state of emergency on youth unemployment and infrastructure decay and went further to appeal to the government not to neglect the families of the four policemen who were killed while trying to rescue him from his abductors.

“It was this morning that I was briefed that those gallant officers died while trying to rescue us from our abductors.

“Let me hereby call upon the Federal Government to set up a special foundation to cater for the welfare of the wives and children of these officers.”

He also urged the National Assembly to allow for state police in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

Legal Practitioner and Human Rights Activist Mike Ozekhome Regains Freedom from Kidnappers

Kidnapped legal practitioner and human rights activist, Mike Ozekhome has finally been set free by his captors. It was gathered that he was released early this morning and is back home with his family. No idea if a ransom was paid. But at least, he's safe. 

Thank God for his safety.

Ozekhome’s Kinsmen Stage Peaceful Protest in Benin

Kinsmen of prominent lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, who was kidnapped on Friday, have staged a peaceful protest in Benin City to demand the unconditional release of their kinsman.

If you missed original story, read it HERE

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ secretariat in the Edo state capital, Mr. Isa Adidi who spoke on behalf of the people of Iviukwe community in Etsako-east local government area of the state, appealed to the lawyer’s abductors to release him unhurt.

He explained that Ozekhome is a human rights activist who has been fighting for the people and cannot afford whatever ransom his abductors may request for.

Ozekhome was abducted by men suspected to be kidnappers on the Benin-Auchi expressway, in an operation that left four policemen dead.

IN a related development, 

As the search for the kidnapped Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, his driver and a All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain Athanasious Ugbomhe continues reports have surfaced that the kidnappers are demanding 150 million Naira for their freedom.

But sources have reported that his brother Pius told a confidant that no member of the family had been contacted as at Tuesday morning.

However, a close friend of Ugbomhe told journalists that the kidnappers demanded for N100 million for his release.

He said, "This man has health condition that requires constant attention. He is a good person and not a moneybag. They should please release him unconditionally."

The Nation

Video Source- Channels television news.

Gunmen Abduct Israeli, Shoot Soldier in Edo

 

Edo State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of an Israeli working with Setraco Construction Company by gunmen.

The Police Public Relation Officer, Moses Eguavoen, announced this during a chat with newsmen on Monday in Benin, the state capital.

Eguavoen disclosed that the Israeli was allegedly kidnapped at Upper Mission Road in Benin, adding that one of the soldiers on duty was also shot by the gang during the operation.

"Due to the recent kidnappings, two soldiers were deployed to protect the workers after they stopped work on a road project in Benin.

"One of the soldiers was allegedly shot, but I cannot confirm if he is dead, 

the PRO said.

"The police have commenced investigation into the abduction to unravel those behind the act.

"We want to assure the public of safety of lives and property."

Source: LeadershipNewspaper

Five Suspected Kidnappers Of 3 Corps Members In Rivers State Arrested

 Five persons have been arrested in connection with the abduction of the three National Youths Service Corps, NYSC members, who regained their freedom on Sunday, according to the Rivers State Police Commissioner; Mr Joseph Mbu.

Speaking, yesterday, at the Police headquarters, Port Harcourt, Mbu said corps members serving in Ogolokon community, where the three corps members were taken hostage had been relocated to Ominima still in Abua Odua Local Government Area, adding that the Police took the action because of the vulnerable nature of the lodge.

"The lodge, close to mangrove water is too vulnerable for attacks," Mbu said, adding that security of the occupants should have been considered in the location of a residential quarters for corps members.

Meantime, security operatives in Rivers State have been urged to take steps to guarantee the security of lives and property in the state.

We Disguise As Beggars To Abduct Our Victims – Kidnap Suspects

 

The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a kidnappers den in Ajah area of Lagos, killing a suspected leader of the syndicate during a shoot-out, while three other members were arrested. 

Rescued at the end of the gun duel were two staff of Epe Local Government Area, Samsudeen Olatunde, 37 and  Daramola Muideen Bisoye,  43.

They were abducted a week ago on Abraham Adesanya Street, along Lekki/Epe expressway when they stopped to answer the call of nature.

The suspects who usually disguised as beggars, disclosed that their targets were men who usually parked exotic cars to ease themselves around Ajah and other high brow areas of Lagos.

The operation

The seven-man syndicate said to have been on the wanted list of the Area ‘J’ Command, Elemoro, for about a year, reportedly met their waterloo following intelligence report from the area command, consequent upon which a joint team of operatives from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja and men of the Area ‘J’ Command led by the Area Commander, Mr Felix Vwamhi, reportedly stormed the kidnappers’ den, an uncompleted building located in an area popularly known  as General Paint in  Alasia, Ajah.

Sighting the policemen, the kidnappers reportedly opened fire that triggered a gun duel.Police sources said: "During  the hot exchange of fire, two members of the gang, one of them later discovered to be the gang leader, identified simply as  Akpos and his second in command, Michael Chinedu Edom, were fatally wounded.

"They were arrested while five others escaped with minor bullet wounds and one of the  guns used by Akpos was recovered including 20 live cartridges."Efforts to revive Akpos to enable police use him to get the fleeing gang members failed but "Michael survived and was used to track down two other  members, Emmanuel Omoseni and Emeka Agbaji, who have made confessional statements.

Our targets - Suspect

One of the suspects, Emeka Agbaji, 31, who hails from Ekuoma village in Ika East Local Government Area of Delta State disclosed: "That fateful day at about 8pm along Epe Expressway, we saw two persons who parked their Toyota Yaris saloon car by the roadside and went to urinate.

"One of our gang members who disguised as a beggar approached the driver when he wanted to board the car and begged him to assist him with some money to eat. Out of sympathy the driver gave him N100 and he prostrated in gratitude."But, as the driver wanted to enter his car, the supposed beggar  held on to the car door and started dragging the door with him. The occupants were confused and before they knew it, other members including myself came out of hiding with locally made short guns and pushed the driver and the passenger inside the back seat of the car.

"One of us took over the steering wheel and we drove straight to our camp at General Paint area.“We did not torture the victims. We had not even started calling their families or the Epe local government council where we learnt they were working  when, all of a sudden, the police stormed the uncompleted building and rescued them."

Agbaji who said he was lured into kidnapping by the late Akpos confessed that he was once a robber."But at a point, I decided not to steal again.  I was tempted to join because Akpos advised me  to be saving one tenth of any money I got through kidnap for court case, saying kidnap was a bailable offence and that he had formidable hands in the boys he recruited from Delta State. 

This is my first time of joining them and I was promised N500,000 at the end of the day," he said.

I intended travelling with my share  —Another suspect

For Michael Chinedu Edom, 25,  a native of Isiekenesi village in Ideato South Local Government Area of  Imo State: "I was also lured by late Akpos, with a promise of more than N2 million when we receive the ransom."We were told that each of the victims’ families would be made to pay N7 million. At least I knew I would have got over N2 million with which I intended to travel out of Nigeria."I joined out of frustration because all the menial jobs I  ventured into fetched me nothing.

"First, I started as a conductor and got only N1,000 at the end of each day which was not enough to fend for myself, let alone my wife and baby who live with a family friend."I was  squatting with friends  in an uncompleted building because I could not afford to pay the rent around Ajah."My role in this was to provide a hideout for the gang. I was promised N10,000 per day. I was not there when they did the job.  

I was  in a restaurant all through but was forced to run out  during the gun duel. In my attempt to escape, one of the arrested persons sighted me and revealed my identity to the police."

We are only kidnappers not robbers — Third suspect

The third suspect who identified himself as Emmanuel Omoseni, 33, from Zion People village in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, claimed to be a teacher in a private school in the area. Omoseni said he was tempted to provide the gang a hiding place after being promised N100,000."As at then, I had not been paid two months salary. Even the two months salary was not up to the N100,000 promised.  My only regret is that I ended up not getting a dime."

Source: [Vanguard]

Photo: Actor Arrested, 3 Others Wanted For Abducting Monarch’s Wife

Ismaila Dauda, a 27-year-old secondary school dropout, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for an alleged abduction of a traditional ruler's wife.

Ismaila, a fledgling actor, from Ondo, was accused of attempting to abduct the wife of the traditional ruler of Ilisan Remo in March 2013, with the help of three others: Segun, Nurudeen and an unidentified man.

Nevertheless, Dauda stated he was not aware that he was part of a gang of kidnappers until it was too late.

Dauda pleaded, 

"At the time, I was not aware that it was a planned abduction. Segun is a close friend and had borrowed my car. Because the car was without a spare tyre and not in good condition, I offered to drive him wherever he wanted.

"I was under the impression that Segun was in search of a suitable school for his teaching practice as he is a student of a College of Education.”

The suspects, Dauda, Segun and Nurudeen, allegedly left Ondo, while a fourth unidentified man was picked up at Ore. Under Segun’s direction, Dauda allegedly drove to a secondary school close to the palace of the Oba of Ilisan in Ogun State.

At about 1pm, an elderly lady was said to have driven out of the school compound and headed in the direction of the king’s palace.

Dauda said, 

"At the time, I was unaware that she was the king’s wife. By the time she came to where we were parked, she stopped because my car was blocking her path. To my shock, Segun and Nurudeen rushed to her vehicle, brandishing guns and pulled her out. Till that moment, I had had no idea that they had guns in their possession."

The victim was bundled into Dauda’s car and driven away. Some residents, however, raised the alarm and alerted the police after witnessing the abduction.

"It seemed Segun had stationed some spies around because while I was driving, he received a call that the police had already begun to give a chase behind us and that the neighbourhod vigilantes had mobilised ahead of us to block our escape.

"Immediately, I heard that, I could no longer drive. I was so scared, I had to drive off the road into the bush and we abandoned my car there with the king’s wife in it," Dauda recalled.

Dauda and his friends, allegedly hid in the bush till 7pm until Segun’s spies showed up and took them all to an uncompleted building at the Ijebu-Ode end of Sagamu-Benin Expressway. The suspects were said to have hidden there till 6.30am the following day, when a vehicle arrived to convey them back to Ondo state.

Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, an Ogun State Police Public Relations officer, confirmed the incident, He said 

"The victim was rescued from the car unhurt although some pepper had been sprayed into her eyes to prevent her from identifying where she was to be held captive.

"All the suspects escaped from the scene. In their haste, a sim card belonging to Dauda was left in the car.

"Dauda was tracked to his home in Ondo State but he had gone into hiding in his hometown, Iwo. It wasn’t until May 19 that Dauda returned home and he was promptly arrested by the Fagun Police Division and later transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department, Abeokuta. Investigation is on to apprehend the other fleeing suspects."

Police Kill 7 Bamigbetan's Kidnappers, Arrest Two Others

The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested members of a kidnapping syndicate suspected to have kidnapped the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan. See Here

According to the police, the suspects were arrested shortly after kidnapping an Indian, Vivex Changrani, in the early hours of Monday.

The Commissioner of Police for the command, Umar Manko, said the suspects were not based in Lagos but only operated in the state on weekends after which they would flee to Ghana.

He said apart from Bamigbetan, the suspects had been involved in a series of high-profile kidnaps, including that of a Federal High Court judge in Lagos.

He said, "Based on painstaking investigation and tracking of Nigerian kidnappers who kidnapped Ejigbo LCDA Chairman, Kehinde Bamigbetan, a sitting Federal High Court Judge and other notable individuals in Lagos, a team of detectives, led by the Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, traced the kidnappers to the Agbara area of Ogun State where the kidnappers have their camp.

"After 72 hours of laying ambush, the policemen stormed the house where the kidnappers were gathered. A gun duel ensued and seven kidnappers were killed. Two of the kdinappers, Ogbonna Emenike and Uchenna Nwanyu, were arrested alive with bullet wounds while four AK47 rifles, 28 AK47 magazines and over 1,000 rounds of AK47 live ammunition were recovered.

"A Honda CRV and a Nissan Pathfinder as well as charms were recovered from them. An Indian national, Vivex Changrani, who was kidnapped at Ikoyi two hours before the operation, was also rescued by the police."

Manko said the suspects were able to evade arrest for so long because they were in Ghana and due to international law, Nigeria policemen had to collaborate with INTERPOL to track the suspects.

The police boss said the suspects operated in army uniforms which deceived members of the public.

"We discovered that because the suspects operated in army uniform, they easily got away. Sometimes, they could even alight from their vehicles in broad daylight and direct traffic in order to escape," he said.

According to police detectives, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, the suspects lived flamboyant lifestyles in Ghana.

A police source said the leader of the gang, Jonah Benjamin Osinachi aka China, who was killed during a gun duel with the police, owned a big restaurant in Ghana and other investments which he funded with proceeds from his illegitimate business.

He said, “The suspects only struck during weekends after which they would go back to Ghana. For instance, after kidnapping Bamigbetan, they received $50,000 (N8m) as ransom. They went back to Ghana without any money.

"Rather, what they did was to give the money to a bureau de change operator who then helped them to transfer the money through an agent to Ghana."

The suspects however said they were not members of the gang but only friends to the killed suspects.

Nwanyu said, "I am not a kidnapper, China employed me to manage his restaurant in Ghana and I have been doing that for two years now. I came with China, his wife and two kids on Sunday because they said they wanted to renew their passports at FESTAC."

Another suspect, Emenike, said he was not part of the gang. He said he was only released from prison last Monday and was only at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Indian victim, Changrani, however identified the suspects as his captors. He commended the police for rescuing him less than five hours after his abduction.

He said, "I have been living in Nigeria for seven years and I work for a plastic-manufacturing company. On Sunday night, around 12am, I was on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, when men in army uniform flagged down my vehicle. They jumped into my car and pushed me into the back seat.

“An hour later, they pushed me into their own vehicle, blindfolded me. After some hours, they took me into their house and locked me in a room and told me to sleep. Around 5am, I started hearing gunshots and when the police identified themselves, I screamed for help and they rescued me. The police did a fantastic job."

See How Kidnap Kingpin Tricked Delta State' Commissioner of Police

The most wanted Kidnap Kingpin in Delta State, Kelvin, who is suspected to be a drug addict, ambushed and killed three officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service, NPS, Warri, with his gang, 48 hours after he phoned the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, begging for amnesty.

Aduba, who thought he was dealing with a remorseful hoodlum, subsequently called his boss, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, minutes after  his discussion with Kelvin ended, March 11, to narrate what transpired and obtain his permission.

Kelvin had promised the commissioner that he would assist the police to smash the kidnap industry in the state and the Inspector General predicated his imprimatur on his surrendering arms and cooperating with the police.

Unknown to Commissioner Aduba, it was a hoax, as the kidnap kingpin, currently on the run, struck two days after with a gang of nine gunmen and successfully freed two notorious Kidnap suspects, identified as Rufus and Frank, from warders, while they were being taken to court on March 13th, 2013. Read that story here.

Aduba said Kelvin (The Kidnap Kingpin) had not been arrested since then, because information about his whereabouts was in short supply. He (Aduba) had previously accused prison officials of being involved in the prison break on March 13th, stating that the police were not informed that prisoners were to be taken to court, on the said day. Also see here

Aduba said from his findings, the Kidnap Kingpin was on drugs and speaks like a human being when he is sane, but once he had sniffed, would behave like a monster.

He attributed the prowess of Kelvin to a shrine in Kokori, known as Egba, which he said most of the people owed allegiance to, stressing that information at his disposal indicated the person that could neutralize Kelvin’s powers was the Ose Egba (chief priest).

He said his initial plan was to blow up the shrine, where Kokori people go to renew their charms, but he changed the idea to see how the chief priest could assist the police in the task of checkmating the kidnap kingpin.

Source: VanguardNews

We shall kill Nigerians in Pakistan if … – Families of Kidnap Victims

 

Families of the five Pakistani nationals on board an oil vessel, Mt Matrix 1, abducted last Saturday at 40 nautical miles off the Bayelsa coast have told the management of the company, Matrix Energy, in Warri, Delta State, not to pay any ransom to the abductors to get them released, promising to take revenge on Nigerians in their hundreds in Pakistan, if any of the victims get killed.

The abducted victims include the Captain, Chief Officer, cook and two others. They were conveying Automated Gasoline Oil, AGO, from Lagos to Eket, when they were abducted at about 9pm.

Sources said that relevant security agencies in Bayelsa State and Warri in Delta State, had been informed of the incident.

The source also added  that the company had begun negotiation with the abductors, but that details of negotiations with the company on ransom were not disclosed.

 >>>>>>>>>

A comment I read online reads :

Killing of humans, to Pakistanians is just like spraying inseticide on mosquitoes and flies. Their threat is not surprising. They threatened Benazhir Bhuto and killed her, not long ago, they...

I guess they aint jokers... I hope the hostages are released unharmed.

By the way, Nigerians in Pakistan? Doing what?