Metro

How I Formed Kidnap Gang During My 11yrs In Prison- Suspected Kidnapper

Published

9 months ago

April 28, 2024

The goals of Correctional centres, otherwise known as Prison , are to strike a balance between punishment, rehabilitation and public safety while preparing inmates for a productive life after release.

However, in Nigeria , these goals have suffered severe set back as most inmates rather than being transformed into a better version of themselves, return back to the society hardened than they were before going to jail.

This was the case of a suspected leader of a kidnap gang arrested by the Rivers State Police Command under the watch of CP Olatunji Disu.

The suspect, Gift Ogbo (39), who is receiving treatment in the hospital, from injuries sustained during a botched kidnap operation , disclosed that he formed his gang while serving his 11 years jail term for a murder case.

Ogbo, who said he had never been to a classroom since birth, recalled how he roamed his village in Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, during school hours, searching for opportunities to pilfer.

Due to his alleged villainous disposition, he was nick named ‘Akwa Ndele’, with parts of his body designed with bold scars .

Vanguard gathered that on March 29, 2024, Ogbo, led three members of his gang on a kidnap mission, in their operational tricycle, on Nkpolu road.

They reportedly intercepted a white Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4matic , parked on the road, with two occupants in the driver and passenger seats.

But in an act of bravery, driver of the Mercedes who attempted to reverse and escape, hit a wall.

He reportedly drove menacingly towards two suspected members of the gang that stood in front of the car ,and ran over them.

The two suspects were Ogbo and another member identified simply as Oyi-Baba, who were the gang’s muscle men. They were abandoned at the scene by their fleeing colleagues.

A mob was said to have descended on them and was at the verge of setting them ablaze when a Rapid Response Team that was contacted arrived the scene.

While Oyi-Baba reportedly died in the hospital, Ogbo , is still undergoing treatment, according to Police sources.

From the hospital bed, Ogbo, said, “ In 2012, I attacked one of my uncles during an argument over a parcel of land and he died in the process.

“I was arrested and charged for murder. While serving my 11 years hail term, I made friends with some inmates.

“Upon my release in December 2023, I returned to Ndele and rallied two old friends, Gift Kpanuku, aka Oyi-Baba and one Sunny, aka Onye-meme.

”We teamed up with two released members of the gang I formed in prison: Isaac and Ugo and immediately devised a plan to start a kidnap-for-ransom gang.

“We stole from residents of Ndele to raise money for arms. We raised 370,000 and used it to purchase two locally made shot guns in Akwa-Ibom from Smart, a gunrunner I also met in prison.

“We went on the first mission on March 13, 2024, at about 8.45 p.m. We snatched a red Mazda 323 from a local taxi driver to use as operational vehicle. On that same evening, we met a man and his wife who parked their car in front of a doctor’s office at Nkpolu. We ordered them out of their Volkswagen Touareg, pushed them into the back seat of the car and drove off with them, abandoning the stolen Mazda.

“But on the way to our hideout, there was traffic .While contemplating an alternative route, the woman jumped out of the car. In anger, I shot her husband in both thighs, and we sped off.

“We took him to a compound in Eleme, took his gold chain, gold wristwatch , his phone and wife’s phone which she left . We used his ATM card to withdraw N530, 000, via.”

VANGUARD

Metro

Panic in Kaduna village after suspected cattle rustlers’ attack, over 20 killed

Published

5 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The people of Ugama village in the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State are in fear after some individuals, suspected to be cattle rustlers, launched an attack involving ritual killings and theft of property on Thursday.

Reports indicate that the attackers are Fulani from Ugama village. Eyewitnesses have confirmed that at least 20 people were slaughtered, while many others were injured.

Malam Yusufa Ugama, a resident who narrowly escaped the attack, stated that after the ritual killings, some of the assailants attacked the village and set it on fire. He also mentioned that the village’s livestock was stolen.

The motive for the attack remains unclear, but Yusufa explained, “We saw people armed with guns, machetes, and knives, and they were calling themselves cattle rustlers.”

A source also revealed that there had been a dispute between the villagers and their chief, whose name was not disclosed, over the sale of village farmland.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mansur Hassan, confirmed the incident to TST Hausa, but stated that the police had not yet received any formal complaints from the villagers or any group regarding the attack or those accused of the killings.

Metro

Lagos hoodlums made to sweep pedestrian bridge for defecating on it

Published

6 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has disciplined some individuals for defecating on the Ile Epo Pedestrian Bridge in the Abule Egba area of the state.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a post on X.com on Saturday.

Wahab stated, “The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources enforcement team has taken decisive action at Ile Epo Pedestrian Bridge, addressing the issue of hoodlums who defiled the bridge with waste and defecation.”

The offenders were arrested on Saturday and tasked with cleaning the bridge, removing all waste and restoring it to a hygienic condition.

Similarly, the commissioner said hotspots were raided and hoodlums nabbed.

He said: “In the early hours of today, the Lagos State Environmental Task Force embarked on raid of some notable spots within Ikeja.

“Some miscreants had turned them to safe havens to perpetrate evil act by unleashing attack on unsuspecting late and early hours innocent passers-by, particularly those coming in and out of Ambiance Hotel within the area.

“They dispossesses them of their personal belongings.

“The area raided includes black spots around Ayinke House, Ikeja, under bridge and all around Ambiance Hotel. 27 suspects were arrested and will be charged to court,” he noted.

Metro

EFCC nab yahoo boy for k!lling operative in Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A suspected internet fraudster, who allegedly killed an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during an arrest operation in Anambra, has been detained.

An official of the anti-graft agency told TheCable that the suspect opened fire on the EFCC operatives during an operation on Friday, killing an operative in the process and injuring another.

The source said the slain officer was buried in Sokoto on Saturday, adding that the suspect is being detained at the EFCC’s zonal headquarters in Enugu state.

“The incident was a very unfortunate one; the dead officer has been buried today in Sokoto; the incident shows the dimension that internet fraud is taking,” he said.

“The guy (suspect) has also been detained at our office in Enugu today.”

When TheCable reached out to Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, for comment, messages sent to his WhatsApp were delivered, but he did not respond to calls put through to his mobile phone.

Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson in Anambra, confirmed to TheCable that a suspect attacked EFCC operatives, resulting in one death and a serious injury to another official.

Ikenga said the command responded to a distress call on Friday, arrested an unnamed suspect, and recovered a pump-action gun in the Ifite area of the state.

“Anambra police operatives in the early hours of 17/1/2025 responded to a distress call at No. 1 Ekwutife Close, Ifite, and arrested one suspect and recovered one pump-action gun, where operatives of the Economic Financial Crime Commission Operatives on investigation activities were attacked by a suspect, which resulted in the death of one and serious injury to another of the operatives,” the police spokesperson said.

He added that police have commenced an investigation into the incident, adding that further developments will be communicated.