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The ban on Okada operation and the Coronavirus lockdown led us into kidnapping - Printable Version +- Forums (http://contripeople.com) +-- Forum: Retired Forums (http://contripeople.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=78) +--- Forum: Retired Forums. Please Make Your Post Within The 3 Forums In General Discussion (http://contripeople.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=49) +---- Forum: Other Stories (http://contripeople.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=44) +---- Thread: The ban on Okada operation and the Coronavirus lockdown led us into kidnapping (/showthread.php?tid=38328) |
The ban on Okada operation and the Coronavirus lockdown led us into kidnapping - Edoman - 08-29-2020 The ban on Okada operation and the Coronavirus lockdown led us into kidnapping — Abductors of Appeal Court judge’s wife in Calabar Suspected criminals arrested for allegedly abducting the wife of an Appeal Court judge and killing her aide in Cross River state on July 4, have blamed the ban on Okada operation and the Coronavirus lockdown for joining the kidnapping gang. Ekwele Agube, the wife of a judge at the Court of Appeal, was kidnapped by six armed men who accosted her along Ministry Road, off NPA Junction in Calabar, Cross Rivers State. They killed her aide identified as Glory Egbela before whisking her away to an unknown destination in their operation vehicle. She was released 14 days later, after her family paid N6.8 million as a ransom for her release. Immediately after her abduction, operatives of the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, were detailed to investigate and track down the kidnappers. The IRT made a breakthrough when it trailed one of the phone numbers used in negotiating the ransom to one of the gang leaders identified as Nsense Bassy a.k.a. Lion, When he was arrested, Bassey confessed to the crime and led the police operatives in arresting five other members, including the gang’s informant, cooks, and boat boy. The suspects arrested are identified as Nsense Bassy, Edet Ene, Christopher Effaeyo, Etim Offiong, Bassy Effiong, and Luis Otubassy. Two locally-made guns and 15 live cartridges were allegedly recovered from them. In an interview with The Nation, Bassey confessed that he led other members of the gang to kidnap two other persons, including a Cameroonian diplomat and an Igbo businessman. He said the victims, who spent one week each at their den, were released after a ransom of N2 million was paid for each of them. The 30-year-old father of four and indigene of Akam Local Government Area, Cross Rivers State, said he took to kidnapping because he had no means of feeding his children during the lockdown which followed the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Quote:“I am a primary school dropout. My father has no job, my mother left me and I was left on the streets of Calabar to fend for myself. I couldn’t learn a trade; I was just roaming the streets. But five years ago, I met my wife and we became friends. I impregnated her and she ended up having four children for me. On his part, the gang’s alleged informant and motorcycle operator, Luis Otubassy (25), who is also married with a child, said he took to kidnapping after the government enforced the ban on commercial motorcycle in Cross Rivers State. Quote:“I am a motorcycle operator and I joined the kidnapping gang when the government banned motorcycle operation in Calabar. Nsense, who we call Lion, linked me to the gang and I was using motorcycle to carry the gang members around town to look for whom to kidnap. Another suspect, Edet Ene (28), a native of Apkabiyo area of Cross Rivers State, said he was the gang’s boat operator and was responsible for ferrying the victims to the gang's hideout. He pleaded with the police to forgive him and promised never to do it again. Quote:“I am the person paddling the boat into the creeks, and we used to spend 30 minutes on water before we would get to the camp. I am also the person that used to buy food for the victims. I am an orphan and I have no one to help me. That was why I joined the gang. |