By Ajayi Bamidele
The Anambra State Command of the State Security Service has arrested a ten man suspected kidnap syndicate in connection with various notorious activities including kidnap of the state former commissioner for science and technology, Mr. Chike Okoli.
Addressing journalists at the command headquarters Awka, the State Director of the state security Service, Alexander Okeiyi revealed that a serving councilor in Achi, Oji River local government area of Enugu state, Kingsley Chukwuka Eze was arrested among the kidnap suspects for his alleged involvement and role as financier to the notorious group.
It was discovered that the syndicates who have been responsible for many kidnappings incidents in the state especially in the Awka capital city and its environs were linked to the kidnap of one EJiofor, a business man, who was kidnap in june 2012, but later shot dead by a member of the gang after a ransom of N200,000 has been paid to the notorious group.
Among some of their confessions were the kidnap of an unidentified man along ring road Awka, who was strangled to death for identifying one his captors, and buried off the road, after they had collected a ransom of two million naira from his family. But Nwafor Sunday and Emmanueal Anyanor confessed to participating in the burial in an unidentified place.
They also confessed to the kidnap of an unnamed lecturer of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, in Febuary, 2014, along ring road, Agu-Awka, on whom a ransom of two million was paid before his released and host of other kidnap incidents between 2012 to 2014 respectively.
The syndicate, which consists of Sunday Nwafor 28-year-old from Awgbu, Orumba Nortth LGA, Emmanuel Ifeanyi Anyanor, 28-year-old from Awka are the arrow heads and master minder in connection with series kidnap incidents , while Casmir Anumba, 45-year-old from Ideato LGA of Imo state, Vincent Chukwuezugo Nweke, 28-year-old from Akwa, Kingsley Chuwkuka ,35-year-old an acclaimed councilor in Achi, Oji River LGA of Enugu state, Ejiofor Nwaonwu 20 from Awka, Victor Anayo Ezejiofor, 21 also from Awka, John Onyekachukwu Ndianefo 34-year-old from Neni, Anaocha LGA, Collins Ikechukwu Ngene 23 from Awka and Ikechukwu Nwaokike 33-year-old also from Awka the Anambra state capital.
The director assured the command commitment to collaborate with the police to ensure the circumstances surrounding the kidnap of the former commissioner for science and technology Mr. Chike Okoli are unraveled,
Among the properties recovered from the kidnap syndicate is an Hyndai Saloon Car, With Enugu Legislator Registration Number and claimed to belong to Kinglsey Chukwuka, an acclaimed councilor in Oji River of Enugu state.
END