Kingsley Omonobi
20 June 2008
Abuja — THE Police in Abuja yesterday paraded three teenagers who kidnapped Mrs. Augustina Ekeuwei, wife of the Secretary to the Bayelsa State government and demanded a ransom of N1billion with two of the suspects, Omi Fubara Allaputa and Manasseh Ignatius saying the kidnap plot was hatched by a cousin of the SSG.
Alluding the kidnapping to the work of the devil, Allaputa said, "You people should please forgive me for what I did. What really happened was the work of the devil. My friend, a cousin of the SSG was behind the kidnapping. He called me and said he wants us to kidnap the wife of his brother"
"After the kidnapping, the cousin and Manasseh Ignatius demanded N1billion ransom. At a time, they said N20million because the SSG said he didn't have that amount of money. The man said he will give them N5million, they refused and said it must be N10million".
On his part, Ignatius said, "I am a barber by profession. I met Omi who is one of my customers and he told me about the kidnapping, that the suffering I am going through will be over if we succeed. I told him I didn't want to be involved but they said I will only play a minor role.
It is quite unfortunate because as a father of two kids, I felt for the woman because she just put to bed before the kidnap. I have never been involved in anything like this in my life. I am praying for forgiveness".
Explaining how the suspects were apprehended, Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro said "On receipt of intelligence reports that gun men suspected to be militants had stormed Doxa family church, Abuloma, Port Harcourt and kidnapped Mrs. Ekeuwei, the CP Rivers State dispatched his SARS team who traced the militants to their hideout at Ahoada East LGA, engaged them in serious shootout and successfully rescued the victim".
Also yesterday, the IG paraded three suspects allegedly involved in the bullion van robbery involving the recovery of over N300million in Rivers State .
According to him, On the 11th of this month, while conveying cash of over N300million to Aba from Port Harcourt, a bullion van with police escort was attacked by armed men numbering over 30 at the Ihie village along Aba-Port-Harcourt expressway and carted away the money.
"On receiving information about the attack, the CP dispatched a team of Mobile Police and SARS personnel who gave the robbers a chase to Egburo village in Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State with APC vehicle and engaged them in a shoot out.
The bandits, who could not withstand police fire power, took to flight and cash of N340million stolen by the robbers were recovered by the police". The money has since been returned to Spring Bank and others that own it.
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