By Christopher Oji
FOR some time, kidnapping and armed robbery were the order of the day in Nigeria. Drivers and passengers using the roads used to travel in fear, as no one knew his or her fate, because the hoodlums could strike at any time. From the Abuja-Kaduna expressway to Kogi, Minna and Bida areas of Niger State, down to Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Edo, Anambra and Imo states, the hoodlums operated with reckless abandon such that the roads were like in a banana republic.
Their targets knew no bounds as old and young people, including schoolchildren, were game as they stormed the schools and homes and abducted pupils. The activities of kidnappers made a mockery of security agencies and there seemed no end in sight. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, declared absolute war on kidnappers, and the initiative is paying off now as over 1,000 suspected kingpins have been nabbed. In Nigeria, the fear of kidnappers was the beginning of wisdom, until June 22, 2016, when President Muhammadu Buhari, appointed Idris the IGP.
During his maiden speech, IGP Idris declared a total war on armed robbers and kidnappers, but critics thought his emphasis on zero tolerance for criminality, corruption and unprofessional conduct was mere lip service.
The IGP went into action, empowering the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) by providing the unit with sophisticated gadgets for easy tracking of suspects. He did not stop at that, as he established the Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU) and hundreds of personnel were drafted to special squads and deployed across the country to flush out kidnappers.
The strike forces started recording tremendous success, and one of the greatest achievements of the IGP’s team was the arrest of the most wanted kidnap kingpin in recent times, Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike, aka Evans, who was apprehended on June 10, 2017, at his Magodo Estate, Lagos, mansion. Until his arrest, Evans was on the wanted list of the police for over six years. His alleged notoriety in the act of kidnapping was unequalled. He was said to have carefully sought his victims and demanded ransom in millions of dollars. According to police sources, Evans was responsible for many high-profile kidnappings in the southern part of the country and was known to detain his victims for up to nine months until the last dime was paid.
Evans’ arrest opened several cans of worms, including the alleged involvement of some security agents in his gang, all of whom the police have gone after. The suspect, who admitted owning choice properties and luxury goods in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, recently pleaded guilty to kidnapping before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja.
Another achievement of IGP Idris was the arrest of alleged armed robber and kidnap kingpin, Henry Chibueze, aka Vampire, whose name sent shivers down the spines of those residing in eastern part of Nigeria. Vampire was arrested by the IRT and charged to court, but he escaped in the hands of prison officials, aided by his gang on January 27, 2017, when he was to be arraigned at the Owerri High Court.
His escape did not last long as he was shot dead by IRT in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on March 2, and there was wild jubilation in the East as his death went viral in the media. Five suspected members of his gang, including a witch doctor who prepared charms for him, were arrested and caches of arms and ammunition were recovered from them.
At Gawun Babangida in Niger State, a criminal gang reigned supreme and practically held drivers and passengers to ransom through unrestrained kidnapping along the Suleja-Lambata, Bida and Minna roads.
Its impunity became an embarrassment to the security agents, until August 22, 2017, when Idris, irked by the plight of victims, launched Operation Maximum Safety, along the Kaduna highway, covering Suleja, Lambata, Minna and Bida roads.
Police operatives went after the hoodlums and, in one fell swoop, arrested 26 members of the gang. Recovered from them were three AK-47 rifles, four single-barrel guns, small guns, one locally-made revolver, one locally-made pistol and one set of military camouflage uniform. Also recovered were 69 rounds of 7.62x39mm live ammunition, 28 live rounds and two expended cartridges, one set of military raincoat, two sets of military shoes, one jack knife, assorted clothes for men and women, and some charms.
In February 2017, two German archaeologists, Professor Peter Breunig and Mr. Johannes Behringer, were abducted in Kadarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, prompting the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to summon the IGP. They were later rescued in Jenjela Village of Kagargo LGA of Southern Kaduna. When the Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Major General Alfred Nelson, was kidnapped, a coordinated operation based on intelligence and technical support by the IRT rescued the victim and smashed the 11-man gang. The police recovered three AK-47 rifles, three AK-47 rifle magazines loaded with 90 rounds of ammunition and two sets of military camouflage from the suspects.The suspects usually mounted roadblocks on highways to launch surprise attacks on unsuspecting motorists.
As the police intensified their war against kidnappers, 72 suspects were apprehended along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway after a raid on a forest along the road. While 32 were nabbed on Monday July 31, 2017, at Kateri on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, the other 40 were arrested after combing the forest along the road. Three victims were also rescued unhurt from the gang.
The police didn’t stop at that as they picked up five suspects who abducted the Kogi State governor’s mother, Mrs. Hawawu Bello, three years ago. At the time of the kidnap, Yahaya Bello was Managing Director, Fair Plus Transport Services. Two AK-47 rifles, 20 live cartridges, one Army camouflage inner wear, two Army camouflage of trousers, two camouflage caps, one black Beretta pistol, two plastic guns, three knives and an axe were recovered from them.
In an interview with reporters recently, IGP Idris assured Nigerians that all kidnap suspects in police custody would be prosecuted as soon as investigation in each case was concluded.
While appealing for the people’s cooperation in the war against crime and criminality, Idris said: “We would regularly review the template for providing security, from time to time. We will smoke out the criminals.
“We are not going to spare or think twice about anyone who raises his gun to fire at innocent citizens, we would not allow that hand to come down. I say this with all sense of purpose. But, we cannot achieve this without the support of community leaders, the people and the youth.”
To boost the morale of policemen engaged in the war against kidnappers, IGP Idris promised rewards and enhanced welfare packages, a pledge that he has religiously kept by promoting all rank and file who have participated in bursting high-profile kidnap cases. With the performance of the police so far, I think they are winning the war on kidnapping.
Oji is on the staff of The Sun