•Accused of complicity in abduction of Nwike, Eghagha, Ozekhome, others
Three men, believed to be involved in the kidnap of Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, rights activist Mike Ozekhome (SAN), former Anambra State deputy governor, Dr. Chudi Nwike and many others were arraigned yesterday in Abuja before a magistrate’s court in Wuse Zone Two.
The men, Kelvin Eziegbe, Frank Azuekoh and Haruna Momoh, were accused of being behind some highly coordinated kidnappings in the Southsouth, extending to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Nwike, who was reportedly kidnapped in March, was found dead some days later in a community close to Agbor, Delta State, by security agents.
Kelvin had, before his arrest, engaged in an open show of might when, in company of some masked members of his gang, addressed reporters and had their pictures taken in Kokori, a community in Delta State.
They were brought to court by stern-looking armed security personnel.
The three men, who looked blank, were taken before Magistrate Usman Ahmed Shuaibu, where a First Information Report (FIR), prepared by the Department of State Services (DSS), dated October 28, 2013 but filed on October 29, was read to them.
They were also accused of ambushing and attacking a prison vehicle conveying arrested members of the group.
They pleaded not guilty.
The FIR read: “That between February 2, 2012 and September 24, 2013 at Kokori, Asaba, Warri, Port Harcourt and Benin City, in Delta, Rivers and Edo states and along Benin-Abuja Road, Abuja FCT, you Kelvin Eziegbe, Frank Azuekoh and Haruna Momoh conspired with Rufus Ovwigho, Ese Oghenerojakor and others now at large to kidnap for ransom the persons of Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Dr. Chudi Nwike, Hope Eghagha (Prof.) and many others.
“That you did ambush and attack a Federal Prisons vehicle conveying members of your criminal gang, which resulted in the death of some police and prisons officers.”
Source: The Nation
