PASTOR REMANDED FOR LEADING GANG TO KIDNAPP A 2-YEAR-OLD BABY

Times are really near the end as strange news are been reported daily. In this case, a pastor holding his church banner above is being accused of Kidnapping a 10 year old baby and demanding for huge reasons. read the report below:

An Ondo State Pastor, Emmanuel Chigozie Okpara, appeared before a magistrate court sitting in Oke Eda, Akure, over his involvement in the abduction of a 2-year-old baby Bolanle Olowokerea.

Pastor Chigozie, who claims to be the pastor of Believer’s Prayer Ministry on Umudagu Road, Orjiin Owerri, Imo State, was arraigned along with one Evelyn Jonathan, 27, who is also facing charges of kidnapping and possession of weapons while others responsible for the kidnapping still remain at large.
According to report, Pastor Chigozie aided a group of boys in the kidnap of Bolanle who is the daughter of Engineer Bayo and Mrs. Blessing Olowookere in March of this year. At the time of the kidnap, the group stole the mother’s cell phone, worth Naira 15,000 and cash of Naira 200,000.

The Pastor was said to have held the baby hostage for 10 days before being caught by police.

However, during police interrogation, the pastor denied having anything to do with the kidnapping, saying they only approached him for prayers.

“I never knew they wanted to kidnap the child because when we arrived in Akure I was inside the vehicle when they brought the baby and one of them brought out a gun and said this was a case of kidnapping and anybody who misbehaves would be shot and that was how it all started,” he said.

The pastor’s claim of innocence was countered by the Prosecutor handling the case, ASP Zakari Ibrahim as he said that during the police investigation they discovered it was the Pastor who took the kidnapped baby to Evelyn Jonathan in Bayelsa State before calling the mother of the child and demanding 10 million Naira ransom.

Presiding over the case, the Chief Magistrate, Johnson Adelegan did not accept the plea of the accused or ask for their counsel, but ordered the accused persons be remanded in prison custody so the court could obtain legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution over the case and the case was adjourned to Tuesday, April 29, 2014.

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Choir Member Leads Kidnap Gang To Abduct Church Member's Son

Evil and strange things happen but you wouldn't expect this act of kidnapping to happen in the house of God and more interestingly led by a member of  choir on another church member.

Israel Ekwuruibe is a devout catholic. Aside attending church regularly, he was a member of the choir at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Finima in Bonny, Rivers State.

On Sunday, September 29, he went to church and sat on the choir pew, using his baritone voice to sing praises to God.

But deep within him was a sinister plan that had been conceived along with five others to kidnap the little son of a church member for a ransom. As soon as he sighted the car of their target, Israel made a sign to other gang members who were also within the church building, pretending to be genuine worshippers. The other suspects were Ifeanyi, the gang leader, Godswill Bernard, Loveday Anakwuru, Ogechi Nwosu (also a church member) and Odinaka Gabriel.

Before anyone knew what was happening, little James (not real name) was nowhere to be found. Israel and other gang members found their way out of the church but it did not take long before their evil deed became exposed. They were picked one by one in Finima. The leader, who had gone as far as Akwa Ibom State with the child, was apprehended along the way by the military joint task force before any ransom could be collected.

This was how the Rivers State Police Command recently thwarted the plans of a kidnap gang, which thought it would make cool millions from a staff of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Bonny (names withheld) by kidnapping his three-year-old son.

Crime Reports gathered that the kidnapped boy’s father reported at the Finima Division that he could not find his three-year-old son while in church. At about 3.45p.m., the man was said to have returned to the station, saying that someone called him with number 07010806571 and demanded for N15million as ransom. The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the division, Mohammed Suleiman Baba, a Superintendent of Police, reportedly swung into action while asking the man to play along by saying that he only had N50,000.

The Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu reportedly put the entire command at alert while the anti-kidnapping section of the command also went to work. At about 7.30p.m., Crime Reports learnt that operatives from Finima Division, assisted by the Finima Youth Congress, arrested Loveday, Godswill and Odinaka based on suspicion that they knew something about the kidnap.

Police investigation eventually revealed that Ifeanyi was the gang leader.

However, a joint task force of the Army and the police intercepted and arrested him along Akwa-Ibom-Port Harcourt road and rescued the child from him.

It was said that police investigations also revealed that Israel and Ogechi were the ones who brought the idea of kidnapping the son of the LNG staff who attended the same church with them.

In an interview with Crime Reports, Godswill Bernard (20), from Akwa Ibom State, said the kidnap idea was sold to him by Ifeanyi who was a fellow okada rider. According to Godswill, “I never knew he was involved in kidnapping. He started talking to me, saying that God would use the rich to bless the poor if they do not realize that what they are doing is bad. He promised to help me. I didn’t understand the meaning then.

“In September, Ifeanyi told me that I would soon understand all he was telling me in parables. One day, he invited me to a gathering and introduced me to Israel, one of the six men he was discussing with. Israel was a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Finima. They were all speaking Igbo. It was that night that I knew Ifeanyi was planning kidnapping.

“On Sunday, September 29, we went to the church. I was told that a girl who is a member of the church would bring a young boy out. Israel was in the church. I didn’t know when Ifeanyi’s girlfriend, Chukwuodi, carried the boy but immediately I saw the child’s mother looking for him, I knew our gang had struck.”

In his own words, Odinaka (22) from Abia State, a father of three children, said “I had never been involved in kidnapping. This is my first time. It was because there was nothing to do except the okada job. I am an orphan and have no one to take care of me.

I was invited to Israel’s house one day by fellow okada riders and they started discussing about the issue. Though I sat with them, I didn’t show interest. I did not even follow them but I was told that I would be given something if they could get a ransom.”

Ogechi (26) also disclosed that “Israel had once called me to introduce the idea of kidnapping a church member’s child but I told him I could not do it. This time, he called me again and said I should join them, telling me that he did not like the job I was doing. I replied him that I was not complaining.

“He said that I would help them carry the child out since children in the church are close to me. I told him I could not do it because people would have noticed the child with me. He volunteered to do it but Ifeanyi said he could not do it, promising to bring his girlfriend to do the job.

“I didn’t tell the church authorities because they were threatening me and I was so scared. That was where I displayed foolishness. I was not the one who gave them the child.”

On his involvement, Israel Ekwuruibe (30), also an okada rider, said “I was among the gang but they had already planned the job. Ifeanyi, Odinaka, Loveday and Godswill came to me before I introduced Ogechi to them.

“On the day we carried out the job, I was on the choir stand and I attended both first and second services. I didn’t know who actually brought the child out but it was Ogechi who described the vehicle that the parents of our target used to bring to church. When they came, I was the one who pointed the vehicle to Godswill. I was in my house when police came to arrest me later.”

Also, Loveday Anakwuru (25) told Crime Reports: “I am also a member of the church. It was not my intention to join in evil plan but I did so out of frustration. I am an orphan and there was nobody to help me.”

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Lawan Usman, told Crime Reports that the suspects were still being investigated. He attributed the success of the police in rescuing the kidnapped victim to prompt report made by the father.

Source:newsinnigeria

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Kidnappers Abduct Human Rights Lawyer Ozekhome

Human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome has been kidnapped along Benin-Auchi road in Edo State.

Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo also confirmed the kidnap of Ozekhome.

“I have just received with shock, the news of the kidnap of my learned friend and brother, Chief Mike Ozekhome…,” Festus Keyamo said in a statement, Saturday.

However, he described the incident as “one kidnap too many and it further draws local and international attention to the poor state of security in our country.”

“It also highlights the state of joblessness among youths in our country which is one reason why they turn to this dangerous trade for their livelihood,” he said.

Keyamo therefore appealed to the kidnappers to release Ozekhome, a senior lawyer and staunch critic of corrupt and bad governments in Nigeria.

Police spokesman Frank Mba told AFP a manhunt had been launched for the kidnappers.

“Police are on the trail of the gunmen and we will do everything humanly and operationally possible to ensure that the learned lawyer is released unharmed,” Mba said.

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Nkiru Sylvanus’ Family Paid N8m Ransom To Kidnappers, Police Say

Indications have emerged that the family of Nkiru Sylvanus, the special assistant on publlic affairs to Imo state governor, paid N8 million ransom before she was released. The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Adisa Bolanta, confirmed this development.

Mr. Bolanta told newsmen in Owerri on Friday that the family defied repeated warnings from the police not to negotiate or pay any ransom to the abductors even as he said the ransom was paid without the knowledge of the police.

The commissioner added that the police had recovered and returned N7 million paid by the family.

Mr. Bolanta said that after we returned the money to the family, they defied our warnings and continued negotiations with the kidnappers.

“They went behind us and paid N8 million to the kidnappers,” he said.

He, however, reassured residents of the state that the fleeing kidnappers would be brought to book.

“We have made some arrests in connection with the case and very soon they will all be apprehended.

“Let me assure the good people of Imo that we will not rest until all forms of criminality has been eradicated from this state.”

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UPDATE-Nigeria security forces kill 13 in raid on kidnappers

 Nigerian security forces have killed 13 members of a gang suspected of abducting a Turkish man in a dawn raid on their hideout in oil-producing Rivers state, police said on Saturday.

A 20 million naira ($127,600) ransom was paid for the release of Bayram Karakus, who worked for the Rivigo Construction company, Rivers police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam told Reuters.

He gave no details of what happened to the Turkish man. A combined team of operatives ... stormed the militant camp of a notorious gang also responsible for kidnapping, armed robbery, killing of policemen and civilians in the recent past," Ugwuegbulam said.In the ensuing gun battle six of the hoodlums were fatally wounded ... seven of the wounded died on the way to hospital.

Ugwuegbulam said the police recovered 98,900 naira, the bags used to deliver the ransom, six AK 47 rifles and ammunition in the raid on Friday.

Kidnapping for ransom is common in the coastal Niger Delta region, which is home to Africa's largest oil industry. The majority of people abducted are Nigerians but foreign oil and construction workers are also targets.

Nigeria is one of the worst countries in the world for kidnapping, a major criminal enterprise worth millions of dollars a year. Abductions are most common in the oil-region and other southern states, including the commercial-hub Lagos.Piracy off the coast is also on the increase.

Pirates released seven sailors last week - six Russians and an Estonian - seized after an attack on a ship operated by French firm Bourbon SA off the coast of Nigeria.

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3 killed as vigilance group rescues Osun speaker’s wife in Ogun

 It was gun battle between men of the Ogun State Vigilance Services and captors of the wife of the Osun State House of Assembly speaker, Hon. Najeem Salaam,  Muiba,  who had been in the kidnappers’ den for five days.

The hoodlums had, on Tuesday, kidnapped Mrs. Salaam who was reported to be returning home from her shop in Ejigbo area of Osun State.The kidnappers were arrested at Ogunmakin area, on the Lagos/ Ibadan expressway following a tip-off.

This development, however, was said to have turned into a crossfire between the security operatives and the kidnappers.

A reliable source, who did not want his name in print, said three of the kidnappers were killed by the security operatives in their efforts to rescue the victim.

Sunday Tribune learnt that three other members of the gang were arrested and whisked to the state police command headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Police authorities in the state confirmed the arrest and added that Mrs Salaam was in a stable condition.

Meanwhile, the Ogiyan of Ejigboland, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin, has expressed joy over the release of Mrs Salaam, saying he knew God would answer his prayers.

The monarch had organised a prayer session for the abducted women in the town.

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Italian kidnapped in Ilorin

An elderly Italian working as a construction engineer with Borini Prono Construction Company has been kidnapped in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Kwara police public relations officer (PPR0), DSP Fabode Olufemi, who confirmed the incident in Ilorin yesterday said the state police command was aware of the incident but could not give details of the whereabouts of the victim.

Olufemi said the incident was capable of frustrating the efforts of the state government at delivering democracy dividends to people.

Daily Trust gathered that the victim, who had gone to inspect one of the ongoing road construction projects, awarded to his company by the state government was whisked away at about 5:30 pm on Monday to unknown destination. The projects he went to inspect are located at Bishop Smith Road, opposite Stella Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall, it was learnt.

Our correspondent also gathered that the kidnappers were yet to make any contact with the associates of the Italian four days after he was kidnapped.

And no contact has been made with the kidnappers and all what the police could confirm about the incident was that he was an Italian working with Borini Prono, according to the PPRO.

The police, however, assured the general public that the victim would be rescued soon without any hurt.

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Catholic priest kidnapped in Rivers

A Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Nwika Gbinu, has been abducted by a yet to be identified  gunmen  in Onne,  Eleme local government area of Rivers State, Daily Trust gathered yesterday.

The catholic priest was reported to have been taken hostage from his residence in the early hours of Tuesday, and his whereabouts is still unknown two days after the incident.

The victim’s brother Gbinu Samuel while confirming the incident to newsmen on telephone yesterday wondered why a reverent father will be a target of kidnappers.

“I don’t know the reason for his abduction; he is a servant of God and I know that he did not have any problem with anyone”, he said.

Confirming the incident, the state commissioner of police, Mohammed Indabawa, said the police are investigating the incident and assured that soon they will rescue him and apprehend the suspects.

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Abducted Spanish doctor released in Nigeria

A Spanish doctor kidnapped in Nigeria’s southeastern city of Enugu on April 4 has been freed and is in good health, his country’s foreign ministry and Nigerian police said on Saturday.

Jose Manuel Machimbarrena Corcuera “was freed on Friday,” a ministry spokesman told AFP, adding: “He is tired but in good health.”

The spokesman said he did not have any details of the circumstances in which the hostage was freed.“We do not know if he is going to stay in Nigeria or return to Spain,” he added.

He said the man had been seized for ransom, citing Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, who had said the “organisation that he belongs to wants the utmost discretion.”

Spanish media reports said the 58-year-old doctor works for a clinic belonging to a foundation financially supported by Catholic institution Opus Dei in Nigeria.

Nigerian police said the hostage was released Friday in Enugu.“Since his abduction, there has been a serious manhunt by police in collaboration with other sister security agencies which kept the entire atmosphere uncomfortable and consequently he was let go by his captors,” Enugu police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu told AFP.

He did not say if a ransom was paid.

Scores of kidnappings for ransom have occurred in southern Nigeria, particularly in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, by armed gangs seeking cash. Most victims have been released unharmed following ransom payments.

An insurgency by Islamist group Boko Haram, which is concentrated mainly in northern Nigeria, has left more than 1,000 people dead since mid-2009.

Authorities blamed the recent deaths of a British and an Italian hostage in Nigeria’s north on a faction of Boko Haram. A German engineer was also kidnapped on the outskirts of the northern city of Kano in January.

The group has not been known to operate in the south of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer.

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Delta police smash kidnap gang, rescue 7-yr- old boy, four others

Delta State Police Command has smashed a four-man kidnapping and armed robbery gang in Benin City, the Edo State capital and rescued five victims.

Parading the suspects, state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, gave the name of the seven years old boy rescued as Folunsho Adam and another victim, Mrs. Adaku Adeiyi, wife of Financial Secretary, Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association, who was abducted from her store at Ekpan, Delta State by unknown gunmen.

Aduba told journalists in Asaba, that through intelligence report, the Anti-Terrorist Squad of the command stormed the kidnappers’ hide-out in Benin and arrested the four suspects, adding that the hoodlums were attempting to collect a ransom of N2.9 million when the police swooped on them.

Items recovered included the N2.9 million which the suspects wanted to collect as ransom, one black sienna space bus, one ash coloured Audi 80 car, live ammunition, locally made cut to size guns and telephone handsets.

Similarly, two suspected members of a seven-man robbery gang that specializes in raping their female victims have been felled in Sapele, Delta State, during a shoot-out with the police.

The bandits were said to have hijacked two Delta State City buses and driven them into the bush on Eku/Sapele Road and dispossessed the passengers on board of their valuables, before gang raping the female passengers, including expectant mothers.

The police trailed the hoodlums to the bush and confronted them in a fierce exchange of gun shots that left two members of the gang dead while others took to their heels.

Police Public Relations Officeer of the command, Mr. Charles Muka,  said the police was on the trail of the fleeing gang members.

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Police foil kidnap attempt, kill 2 suspects, arrest 6 others

The Police in Osun on Thursday killed two suspected kidnappers and arrested six others following a botched attempt to kidnap a bank official in Ile-Ife.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects allegedly attempted to abduct the branch manager of a new generation bank in Osogbo.

The incident reportedly occurred at the residence of the bank manager in Ile-Ife, where the plan of the abductors was swiftly curtailed by the police and spirited members of the community.

The Commissioner of Police, Mrs Kalafite Adeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said it took the policemen deployed to the scene several hours before they were able to rescue the victim.Adeyemi said the policemen were instructed to ensure that the perpetrators, including a woman, were arrested.

The commissioner said that the operation was successfully executed with the active support of residents of the area, declaring that the situation was under control.

She said the suspects were assisting the police in their investigation, adding that they would soon appear in court for prosecution. (NAN)

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