Suspected Kidnappers of Esut VC ARRESTED!!!

by Topsy Oba

Suspected abductors of the Vice-Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof Cyprian Onyeji, have been nabbed by operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad of the Enugu State Police Command.

The nine-man gang was said to have confessed to having carried out series of kidnapping in the South-east region, including the recent kidnap of Onyeji, who regained freedom 20 days ago.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ebere Amarizu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said members of the syndicate were arrested yesterday after a heavy gun battle with security operatives.

Security agents had surrounded their hideout at Safety Hotel, Uwani in Enugu South Local Government Area following a tip-off.

Narrating how the suspects were arrested, Amarizu said policemen who had been on the trail of the suspects since the kidnap of the VC last month, arrested three of the suspects at about 4pm Wednesday, who led them to the others.

Amarizu said the arrest of Osinachi Iheanacho, Ejike Aba and Obinna Okoro from a commercial bus at Agbogugu, Awgu on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, was as a result of intelligence report gathered by the police.

“Then, at about 1.30am on Wednesday, the operatives were led to Safety Hotels at Uwani of Enugu State where severe gun duel ensued between the suspected kidnappers and the security operatives and after the serious gun battle, one Ezebilo Ihiemere alias GAGO, Ifeanyi Kingsley Edeh, Ani Chidiebere, Udeonu Ernest and Chibuzor Eze were arrested, while one Chiboy escaped from the roof top of a three-storey building with serious gun injury,” the police spokesman said.

Among items recovered from the suspects was a Volkswagen Vento car with registration No AQ 780 BRS. The police said on searching the car, two sunglasses, two AK47 rifles and five loaded magazines with 52 rounds of ammunition, among other items, were found in it.

Following their arrest Wednesday, the police spokesman said the suspects confessed when they realised that their game was already up and revealed the identity their gang leader and other members of the gang who had arrived earlier from Port Harcourt.

He added that the suspects confessed their roles in the VC’s kidnap as well as other kidnapping incidents in the state and its environs.