Police parade kidnappers of 78-year-old, 4-year-old
Written by Adekunle Aliyu
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Police in Abuja yesterday arrested and paraded five persons including three students of the Imo State University, a borehole driller and a driver who kidnapped Chief Sylvanus Udenkwo, a 78-year-old man at his home in Ofeiyi Umudi in Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State and demanded a N5 million ransom payment.




Also paraded yesterday was one Chinonso Benjamin, a final year student of Abia State University who kidnapped 4-year-old Master Chima Orjiako at Mbutu Umuawuka Emii community in Owerri North Local Government of Imo State and demanded the sum of N400,000.


Explaining the modus oparandi of the kidnap of Chief Udenkwo, Inspector-general of Police, Mike Okiro said the suspects, Paul Anyanwu, Chimaobi Azuoma, Ifeanyi Ofoebgu (students), Ujunwa Duru and Akunwafor Festus, kidnapped the chief on the 1st of June 2008, after posing as officials of MTN Communications outfit who were looking for land to mount a mast for their company.


“In the process of showing them a piece of land for this purpose, the victim was kidnapped at gun point and kept for nine days having demanded the sum of N5million as ransom from his children.


Police detectives from Imo command acting on intelligence, located the operational base of the suspects, stormed and rescued the victim without payment of the ransom, and the five suspects were arrested”, the IG said.


One of the kidnappers, Paul Anyanwu disclosed that he masterminded the kidnap of the old man because “He is my brother. I served him for 5 years on the agreement that he would sponsor my trip abroad. But after 5years, sent me packing from the house without fulfilling his promise. He just pushed me away.”


“He said I stole N12, 000 from his wife and I said I did not steal any money and he pushed me away. I them went and arranged with Festus to kidnap him so that he would bring out the money by force”.


On the kidnap of little Chima Orjiako, Okiro said, “On the 9th of July, a group of armed youths kidnapped the little child and demanded ransom from the parents.


Police detectives from the state command, acting on information, swooped on their hideout at Emii, arrested a suspect, one Francis Chinonso Benjamin while others escaped”.


Commenting on the kidnap, Chinonso said, “I was writing my final exam in marketing when a friend called me and said he wanted me to help collect money, that he kidnapped his brother’s son and that if he goes to collect the ransom, he would be recognized.


He said he wanted a strange face and that I would be given N400, 000. When I went to collect the money, I was arrested”.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/sep/5/301.html

i thought the kidnapper was 78yrs old