Blessing Okorite, Port Harcourt
The 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has handed over three arrested notorious kidnappers to the Rivers State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
The suspects, Uche Ibieri, 21, Chile Worlu 36 and Destiny Kemka, 21, were said to be connected to the series of kidnapping, Armed Robbery and other nefarious activities that happens in Emohua and its environs.
The suspects who are all indigenes of Emohua Local Government Area in Rivers state, confessed to the kidnap of a middle aged woman from her room in Port Harcourt to their hideout at Rumuekini community in Emohua.
They told newsmen at the 6 Division, that it was while they were working towards receiving the ransom for the woman’s release that her escape trapped them into arrest by the military.
One of the suspects, Uche Ibieri confessed that before the victim’s escape, they collected her ATM and forced her to disclose pin number which they used in withdrawing over one hundred thousand naira from her bank account.
The suspect confessed “Last Monday we kidnapped a lady from Port Harcourt and took her to Rumuekini community in Emohua, to our hideout for ransom. We went to her house and kidnapped her with her vehicle and carried her to Emohua bush.
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“On Wednesday, she escaped from us before we were later arrested same Wednesday. We collected her ATM and withdrew N118, 000 from her bank account.”
When asked how they got the arms they used for the operation, Uche said “My friends introduced me into this act. The arms we used for the operation was given us by our boss, K4, a native of Rumuekini community. We were six in number that went on this mission but three others have escaped. I am a cultist, a member of Iceland cult group”.
Narrating her ordeal to the newsmen, the victim said “On April 30, I was in my house in Port Harcourt while my children and husband’s cousin with me has gone to bed. I was in my palour at about 8pm when I heard my entrance door protector opened slightly and I was wondering who was there because as at that time my husband was not back from work. The next thing I saw was my key to the next door opened and then two guys come out openly pointing a gun at me.
“They asked me of my husband’s whereabouts and I told them he hasn’t returned from work. They told me to cooperate and requested for my ATM card which I hastily gave them out of fear. They asked me to wear me cloth, requested for my car keys and ordered that I follow them in my own vehicle and they zoomed off until they later took me inside a thick bush in that midnight without shoes or slippers on my foot.
“As they were taking me inside the tick bush, I pleaded for my freedom and even offered them my N59, 000. 00 salary I just received that same day. I made the transfer through one of their bank account of one of the boys. We got the extent where we passed through water that got to my knee for about 2hours.
In tears she narrated further: “They took me to place to spend the night. In that place there was no shade, there was nothing, it was just soaked ground. I slept on that ground that night. The next day, they brought food for me to eat and said if I refused to eat and die they will still collect the ransom.
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“On Wednesday they called my husband and he told them that he has no money agains in his account and that the only money he had they have collected it with the ATM. I was surprised that after collecting my salary, N118, 000 form my husband’s account, our television, my laptop, car, they were still demanding for Three Million Naira ransom for my release. I pleaded that they should let me go that we don’t have any other money in our account’.
“Later that same Wednesday evening, while one of them was sleeping, the other went out with his phone I waited for a while, I try to move and there was no resistant either from the one sleeping or another, I then saw it as an opportunity and that was how I ran out by God’s grace I ran out.
By that time the Army was already looking for me everywhere and I ran into them at one of their check point around the area.”
An Intelligent Officer of the State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, SUPOL Okocha Sunday, who received the suspects, said the command will carry on with further investigation for the arrest of other fleeing suspects.
He added that “after investigation the suspects will be taken to the court for justice”.
