The Lagos State Police Command Monday paraded suspected
kidnappers of the mother of the Coordinating Minister and Minister of Finance,
Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
kidnappers of the mother of the Coordinating Minister and Minister of Finance,
Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
Professor Kamene Okonjo, the mother of Okonjo-Iweala, was
kidnapped by gunmen 9 December, 2012 in Delta state, southsouth Nigeria.
kidnapped by gunmen 9 December, 2012 in Delta state, southsouth Nigeria.
The eight suspects paraded Monday in Lagos are Ejiofor Ogbue
a.k.a. Marvelous, 22, Michael Ojeabulu, 23, Endurance Oke, 22, Ibrahim
Abubakar, 28, Buhari Amadora, 27, Hassan Oseni, 29, Chiejine Onochie, 32, and
Chukwuma Okoh, 31.
a.k.a. Marvelous, 22, Michael Ojeabulu, 23, Endurance Oke, 22, Ibrahim
Abubakar, 28, Buhari Amadora, 27, Hassan Oseni, 29, Chiejine Onochie, 32, and
Chukwuma Okoh, 31.
Some of the suspects were arrested in Port Harcourt on 2 April,
2013 following the arrest of their suspected gang leader, Ejiofor
Marvelous, and Okoh on 27 March, 2013 at about 1000hrs by men of the State
Investigation Burea, SID, in the Lagos Police Command.
2013 following the arrest of their suspected gang leader, Ejiofor
Marvelous, and Okoh on 27 March, 2013 at about 1000hrs by men of the State
Investigation Burea, SID, in the Lagos Police Command.
In their alleged confessions to the police, the suspects said
they kidnapped Prof Okonjo in December 2012 in Delta state and that they had
been involved in other kidnappings.
they kidnapped Prof Okonjo in December 2012 in Delta state and that they had
been involved in other kidnappings.
Suprintendent of Police, SP Abba Kiyari had directed his men to
go after the suspects, especially Marvelous, the leader of the gang and in the
process five members of the gang were also arrested at different locations in
Edo, Enugu, Delta and Anambra.
go after the suspects, especially Marvelous, the leader of the gang and in the
process five members of the gang were also arrested at different locations in
Edo, Enugu, Delta and Anambra.
They also claimed that they collected N13 million ransom after
they kidnapped the minister’s mother and that they had been involved other
kidnappings, including the recent one which involved an elderly woman called
Mrs Regina Obi Johnson, who was killed after they collected N2 million ransom,
before they were arrested.
they kidnapped the minister’s mother and that they had been involved other
kidnappings, including the recent one which involved an elderly woman called
Mrs Regina Obi Johnson, who was killed after they collected N2 million ransom,
before they were arrested.
Professor Okonjo was believed to be in her late 70s when she was
taken from her family home in Ogbe-Ofu, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta North Senatorial
District in December last year.
taken from her family home in Ogbe-Ofu, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta North Senatorial
District in December last year.
Her husband, Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, the traditional ruler
(Obi) of Ogwashi-Ukwu was said to be away in Abuja when the gunmen struck.
(Obi) of Ogwashi-Ukwu was said to be away in Abuja when the gunmen struck.
Reports said the abductors, about ten of them, came in two cars,
one of them a Golf car and pounced on the Queen Mother of Ogwashi-Ukwu when she
followed her house-maid to serve drinks to tilers, working in the palace.
one of them a Golf car and pounced on the Queen Mother of Ogwashi-Ukwu when she
followed her house-maid to serve drinks to tilers, working in the palace.
The abductors, unknown to the woman, were lurking around and
pounced on her, dragging her into a waiting Golf Volkswagen car.
pounced on her, dragging her into a waiting Golf Volkswagen car.
“The abductors when they walked into the compound were heavily
armed. They were about ten. They bailed up the men fixing the interlocking
tiles and asked them to lie face down. Immediately they saw her (the King’s
wife who was coming towards the gate with her maid to serve the workers soft
drinks) they bundled her into the waiting Golf car while another car was parked
outside,” a source said.
armed. They were about ten. They bailed up the men fixing the interlocking
tiles and asked them to lie face down. Immediately they saw her (the King’s
wife who was coming towards the gate with her maid to serve the workers soft
drinks) they bundled her into the waiting Golf car while another car was parked
outside,” a source said.
According to reports, one of them even went upstairs to collect
the woman’s handbag.
the woman’s handbag.
A statement was later issued by the Ministry of Finance on the
abduction.
abduction.
