One of Evans house
…The surprise of my life
…His specific names in special cities
…Denies man, woman who claimed he kidnapped them
…I don’t gather N20m or N10m, he tells them
…i might have been worse if i used to be properly educated
…Why he threatened a sufferer after collecting $1m ransom
by way of Ifeanyi Okoli
just like a mystery typically related to crime and thriller, the tale of arrested Kidnap Kingpin, Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike, aka, Evans has remained captivating. Like a Hollywood film with an thrilling plot and phenomenal characters, the issue begets exciting and surprising angles every day.
while you think Evans had narrated almost all his escapades, extra sensational and suspenseful narratives might emerge, producing new angles to the most intriguing criminal case in Nigeria’s recent history.
Frankly, only the Lawrence Anini case of the Eighties should rival the Evans episode for the reason that just like the former, the latter was additionally the king of the underworld. interestingly, the identical type of tragic flaw ended their respective episodes for the reason that ladies have been key to their downfall. At an one-of-a-kind come upon with SaturdayVanguard, at some stage in the week, Evans pondered at the activities main to his arrest and concluded that touring his lady friend, Amaka was the weak point that brought about his fall.
An unassuming Evans, whose expression turned into a combination of sobriety and impenitence, summarized the pre-arrest activities as a result: “I f***ked up.”
on the modern day assembly with Evans at the Lagos nation Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, wherein he is being detained, the Nnewi-born kidnap kingpin made sparkling revelations amid regrets about not leaving the usa with his family.
I didn't observe my instincts
He advised Saturday forefront that he knew the Police had identified the place he became dwelling, a discovery he made on may 23, 2017, when the officer-incharge-of the IRT, Abba Kyari, visited Magodo property and held a assembly with the Divisional Police Officer and some residents of Magodo estate.
Evans found out that one of the residents, who became part of that assembly alerted him to the Police presence in the area. The person, he stated, knowledgeable him, who the Police had been looking for and how they planned to perform their operation.
Evans stated he fast moved his circle of relatives out of Magodo and relocated to a resort in Ikeja. He said his failure to comply with his instincts and leave the country straight away, having recognised that his girlfriends, sister and gang participants have been arrested, gave him out.
How my problems started out
Narrating the new angles to his story, the Junior Secondary college dropout stated: “My trouble started out on Friday, may additionally 12, 2017, while one in all my captives, Mr. Donatus Dunu, a Pharmacist, who I abducted at Ilupeju place of Lagos escaped.
I were given a call from certainly one of my boys searching after my sufferers at my den at 6: am that Mr. Dunu escaped from that den at four:30 am. They looked for him without achievement. At that point, I knew problem had come. the following news I heard become that the Police had visited the vicinity and my AK47 rifles, pistols and over forty loaded magazines had been recovered by way of the Police.
‘’ i was involved and that i called my gang individuals trying to realize what actually transpired. all of them blamed Uche, who became in rate of the den. I advised them that i used to be going to deal with him. At that time, my mind started racing and i was looking to think about what to do due to the fact I knew that the Police could come after me with pressure.
I study a story in leading edge
“ 5 days later, I examine a tale in vanguard Newspaper that the IGP had deployed, Abba Kyari and his guys to Lagos state, to song my boys and 1 and that they have additionally visited the den, in which Mr. Dunu escaped from. That became about the identical time they placed a bounty of N30million for statistics that would cause my arrest.
a number of my men, who got information began panicking, however I confident them that i was on top of the scenario and that the police would now not get me. My 2d-in-Command, Felix known as me and expressed fears, however I assured him that the Police can’t arrest me and i used to be also making preparations to kidnap one more man or woman.
I then informed him that i'd devote suicide in preference to allow the Police to arrest me. whilst Suoyo, who lives in Beyelsa state, referred to as me and expressed fears, I also confident him that not anything was going to take place. I informed him i used to be making plans for another operation and wished him to enter the creeks and buy a brand new set of arms and ammunition for me.”
The surprise of my life
“however in the afternoon of may 23, 2017, I were given the surprise of my existence whilst a call from a person dwelling in our estate knowledgeable me that Abba Kyari and his men, held a assembly with the estate security and the neighborhood police. He said they'd information that the person kidnapping businessmen in Festac metropolis and Amuwo Odofin, receiving $1million as ransom from his victims turned into dwelling in Magodo estate.
the man also informed me that the property and the Police have agreed to close one of the gates main into the estate to enable them to tune me down thru the car i was using.
He additionally instructed me that some of Abba Kyari’s men might hide as LAWMA officials cleaning the streets and a number of them would perform as p.c. workforce to enable them to have access to people’s home inside the kingdom. the man, who gave me this data didn’t recognise that i used to be the one who the Police had been seeking out. I quick moved my family out of the residence and we relocated to a inn in Agidingbi, Ikeja, wherein we began planning on the way to relocate to Ghana.
I purchase my vehicles from Beger vehicles
“while at the resort, my thoughts wasn’t at relaxation, I didn’t realize wherein the Police could be launching assaults from. i used to be on hyper-alert and i began deliberating the way to ensure the Police didn’t get me.
I quick sold my Lexus SUVs because from the information I accumulated from the person who known as me, I learnt the Police had been looking for a person, who drives a black and silver coloured Lexus SUVs. Then I were given someone to move my mom out of Nnewi because i believed the Police may match after her and would want to use her to entice me.
while i was making those plans, information got here in that my 2nd-in-Command, Felix have been arrested by the Police. a person from Berger motors on Oshodi Apapa parkway wherein we typically buy our motors known as and informed me that the Police operatives picked him up at their park.
I depended on Felix a lot because he wouldn’t divulge any facts approximately me to the Police. He had instructed me on countless events, that irrespective of the quantity of torture he receives from the Police that he could now not disclose any facts approximately our sports.
My female friend, Ijeoma
‘’ at the same time as i used to be nevertheless contemplating on what to do subsequent, I acquired some other name from one in every of my girlfriends, Ijeoma, who i was so keen on. She stated she desired to see me. right now, I had this sense that the Police had arrested her.
I instructed her that she couldn't see me due to the fact I knew she became with the Police, then I dropped the call. i was very involved and had to hasten our adventure out of Nigeria. I deliberate to tour with my whole family to Canada but the Canadian Embassy refused to furnish me a visa.
So we decided to transport to Ghana in which i have three houses so we may want to follow for Canadian visa from Ghana. two days later, Ijeoma’s dual sister who lives within the east referred to as and knowledgeable me that her sister known as from the Police station that she was arrested because of me and the Police desired her to carry the sum of N200,000 as a bribe for her bail. I instructed her the Police had been best deceiving her because the matter handy became beyond N200,000 bribe.
My instructionto my boys
‘’I asked her to look for a Senior advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who could stand for her. I additionally instructed her to search for a person who knows the Inspector fashionable of Police, so they can take her case to him. I instructed her that with such pressure the Police will release her because she didn’t dedicate any offence that would warrant her arrest.
some days after that, the Police swooped on my more youthful sister, Nzube and her husband and they took them to the Police station. I didn’t know how they did it, however I called their numbers for 2 days and that they were switched off.
It became then that I suspected that they have been arrested. without delay I referred to as my mother in Bayelsa country and instructed her that the people chasing me had apprehended my sister and her husband. thankfully my sister has by no means been to my house in Magodo estate, it might be difficult for her to guide the Police to my region. I became pressured. I didn’t recognize what to do.
Evans wife, uchenna and kid
For me, I knew i used to be secured because i understand how security agents song their objectives but i was scared of my boys some of whom didn’t understand the way to comfy themselves. I sent messages to some of my boys alerting them that security operatives have been clamping down on us and that they must all be careful. I requested them to prevent snoozing of their homes and i additionally gave them guidelines on how to live secured.
My lady friend, Amaka
‘’One week before my arrest, one of my girlfriends, Amaka, who lives in Okota referred to as me and demanded cash. I asked her what she wished money for and she said there was no meals in her residence, including that her kids had been hungry. i was amazed and suspected some thing should be incorrect because I gave her N25, 000 for feeding two days before she made that name. I requested her about the cash I gave her in advance, she stated she had spent it. From that factor, I suspected something turned into wrong.
Then I switched off the phone she turned into calling me with. I had one unique phone. each time the cellphone is switched off i'm able to get hold of messages from her asking why my telephone turned into switched off and she could be begging me to come back and notice her. At one factor I known as her mom and advised her that i was suspecting that some thing changed into incorrect with Amaka.
I requested her to visit her residence to verify. Her mother despatched a person there and after spending approximately two hours together with her, i used to be knowledgeable that she was very well but she only needed cash and that they gave her N3000. That confirmed something become incorrect. Amaka is the one that gives them money, not the other manner round. They couldn’t be giving Amaka N3,000 because I realize what I give to her.
I have become very inebriated
‘’That singular motion confirmed my suspicions that policemen have been together with her. I referred to as her and instructed her that I had a feeling that there were policemen together with her and they had been looking to use her to arrest me however she denied. I asked her to present the telephone to her youngsters one after the other and requested them if there has been any stranger in their house.
all of them said there was none. I wasn’t convinced due to the fact I knew how the Police do their job and how they suppose. I additionally knew that for a high-profile goal like me, the Police will do the entirety viable to get at me. a few days later, my spouse and children left for Ghana. Amaka was still calling and begging me to send money to her. The night earlier than my arrest, I lodged in a resort in Okota, near her house and that i could not sleep.
i was busy drinking all night and that i became very drunk. At four:am I summoned the braveness to peer her. Her house is close to the street. when I were given close to her gate, i stopped on the road and called her, while she picked I requested her not to drop her telephone. I stated she must stay on the decision and meet me out of doors. She got here bare-footed and changed into still on the call.
I opened the door, she came in and i drove off with her. when we got far from the residence, I took her smartphone and switched it off. I asked the identification of the humans in her house however she said there has been no person in the house. I have become irritated, held her neck and that i attempted to kill her. She screamed and confessed that the policemen have been together with her in the past one week and that they were trying to use her to lure me. instantly I driven her out of my car and that i zoomed off.
i was silly
‘’even as at Iyana-Ipaja, I saw a few vehicles trailing me severely and concept that they had been policemen. At a factor, I lost manipulate of the vehicle and rammed it towards a culvert at the parkway. I quick deserted the automobile and took a trycicle to where I ought to get a cab that could take me to my motel. while in the lodge, I determined it changed into over and i had to depart the u . s . as quickly as feasible. At 7:am I checked out of the inn and known as a person to pick out the car from wherein I left it. I took another taxi home.
even as inside the residence, I referred to as an Uber taxi driving force to come back and pick me from the house. the driver changed into to take me from my residence to Seme Border, wherein i'd hook up with Ghana, however while within the residence and i used to be packing my matters into the Uber taxi, the police showed up at my place and arrested me. I regretted going to see Amaka .
I knew Amaka turned into used to seek me down, but i was stupid, I f**ked up. Going to peer Amaka was my biggest mistake. It made me fall. It delivered my downfall. I ought to had been at the the front of that vehicle that took my own family to Ghana.”
How I beat safety operatives
whilst SaturdayVanguard inquired from Evans on how he changed into able to stay away from arrest at some point of his reign, he said he knew the dangers associated with kidnapping. Evans discovered that he maintained more than one identities, including that he ensured there had been no photographs of him in circulate.
He said: ‘’I beat protection operatives through the years because my machine is a sensor that detects issues. I don’t use charms of any kind however I advanced the ability to stumble on danger considering that my early days as an armed robber. That changed into why i used to be capable of realize that the Police have been near me even when they haven’t informed me. I don’t snap pics. In reality, I don’t have any image. nobody on earth had my picture earlier than now. Even people who are very near me don’t have my photograph.
I don’t snap photos
‘’My mother doesn’t have my photos. My spouse and siblings don’t have them as well. My snap shots aren't in my residence and that made it hard for safety retailers to recognize me because they don’t recognise how I seem like. any other trouble you can have to think about is the reality that i have numerous names for different people. My spouse is aware of me as Somtochukwu, whilst all my girlfriends knew me as Mike. My associates at Gowon estate knew me as George.
‘’i was also referred to as Sunny in Benin even as in Portharcourt, i was known as Richard. those are the motives it was difficult for policemen to tune and arrest me. nobody has my pictures and the names I endure in Lagos weren’t the names I had in different states. Ifeanyi (calling our reporter’s call), i would had been worse than this if I had right education. With education, I may want to have completed worse matters and be elusive. but thank God it’s over and i have been stopped.
I don’t gather ransom abroad
‘’ I don’t provide bank account to my sufferers due to the fact it may be traced. Whoever made the allegations that he paid part of his ransom in South Africa isn’t sincere. i might have been arrested and that they need to bring the account number they paid the money into. The Interpol can hint the account and recognize the proprietor. I acquire my ransom in Nigeria and after accumulating it, I additionally do now not tour overseas. I usually ask the human beings keeping my sufferers to inform them that i have traveled abroad. I commonly call my victims’ family with my satellite phones and tell them that i was overseas. this would make them relax a bit and after some time, i'm able to ask my boys to release the sufferers and drop them where they might locate their human beings.”
i was honest to my sufferers
Evans in addition disclosed that he handled his victims pretty, adding that the simplest incorrect matters he did were to chain, blindfold and detain his victim for months. He said he became doing those because he desired his sufferers to fulfill his call for.
He introduced that the simplest victim, who he handled wrongly became Mr. Cosmos Ojukwu, who he said he amassed a further sum of $2 hundred,000, from after receiving an initial fee of $1million.
Evans said he threatened Ojukwu into paying the additional ransom of $2 hundred,000 due to the fact participants of his own family paid the $1million he demanded unexpectedly without wasting time.
He said: “After he paid the $1million I demanded rapidly than I anticipated extra. I knowledgeable him while he become being released that i'd be gathering another ransom from him. I informed him he would must pay me an additional $200,000 because the $1 million he gave me in advance were in vintage currencies. I asked him to bring my stability.
He felt i was joking, then I knowledgeable him that i was now not just going to kidnap him again, but would hunt his entire family. He panicked and called me that he had raised the cash. I asked him to bring the money to Awka. whilst he were given there I asked him to lodge in a inn, he obeyed me. At night time I requested to deliver the cash to where i used to be. He obeyed me and paid me the cash. From that point I left him alone.’’
