Kidnap kingpin who collected ransom in Dollars arrested

Punch reports that the gang led by 23-year-old Justice Iriah, aka Mopol, an indigene of Edo State, was smashed by the indefatigable ACP Abba Kyari, the same super cop who brought down the elusive Evans after a strenuous investigation and intelligence gathering.

It was gathered that the gang went the same route as Evans as they collected their ransom in Dollars and other hard currencies and had been terrorising the Southern states of the country for many months.

The five-man gang kidnap syndicate, according to reports, also had Samuel Chikaodi James, alias Chiboy as the second in command, Ikechukwu Igwebuike, alias Anambra, Chikachi Ubani and Chineye Mark as members.

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The gang said to be responsible for many high profile kidnappings and armed robberies was arrested by police operatives from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, led by ACP Kyari in Aba, Abia State, while several AK 47 rifles, ammunition and operational vehicles were recovered from them.

It was gathered that in some of the abductions carried out by the kidnap gang, victims and their families were made to pay various sums ranging from N250, 000, N1 million and N5.5 million all in US Dollars equivalent.

In a statement signed by the Force PPRO, SP Jimoh Moshood, the gang had been making life miserable for businessmen and top politicians in the South East, forcing the Inspector General, Ibrahim Idris to deploy ACP Kyari and his team to the region to track and apprehend them.

The statement entitled 'Arrest of 5 Notorious Kidnapping Terrorizing Aba, Abia State and Recovery of AK 47 Rifle/Operational Vehicles', reads:

'Sequel to the kidnap of one , 80-years-old, on Sunday, 26 November, 2017 and his subsequent release after a ransom was paid, with technical support from TIU, Operatives of IGP Intelligence Response Team IRT deployed By IGP Ibrahim Idris swung into action and eventually arrested of 5 gang members of the New kidnap syndicate.

The kidnappers confessed to having started their kidnapping operations this November 2017 and have been involved in three kidnappings in Aba, Abia State, collecting ransoms of N250,000, N1 million and N5.5 million equivalent in Dollars respectively.

The suspects confessed to random kidnapping based on the nature of the vehicle being driven by their targets.

Suspect’s names and confessed roles played are as follows:

aka , 29-years-old, the second in command: He is also the driver of the operational vehicles used in the kidnappings, the negotiator of ransoms and does the pick-ups. So far, he has received N3 million.

aka , 23, from Edo State, the gang leader. While armed, he snatches and secures the hostages in the vehicle up to the kidnap den. He has so far received the sum of N3 million.

aka , aged 22 years. While armed, he snatches and secures the hostages in the vehicle up to the kidnap den. So far he has received N300, 000.

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aged 30 years. He is in charge of the stronghold and detention camp where hostages were kept.

aged 45 years, is a panel beater. He hides their operation vehicles in his workshop. So far, he has received N150, 000."

The police also listed exhibits recovered from the gang to include AK47 rifles, magazine and ammunition, the operational vehicles, one Lexus 300 jeep and a Toyota Sienna Bus.