Ebonyi DSS Arrests, Parades 6 Suspected Kidnappers

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Monday, August 11th, 2014

From Ignatius Okpara, Abakaliki

Ebonyi state Command of the Department of State Services (DSS), has paraded six suspected kidnappers alleged to be members of a notorious gang that have been terrorizing the state and its environs.

suspected kidnappers who were paraded by Ebonyi DSS

The hoodlums were suspected to be responsible for the killing of Mr. Ihebunandu Okorie, the former Coordinator, Okposi Development Centre in Ohaozara council Area of the state.

Parading the suspects over the weekend at the DSS headquarters, the state Director, Mr. B. Baba disclosed that the suspects abducted the council boss on March 16, 2014 at the Presbyterian Church, Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area and later killed him at Nguzu Edda forest.

Baba, gave names of the suspects as Ebere, 32; Odichimma, 30; Chukwudi, 32; Amos, 23; Peter, 30 and Adamu, saying some of the suspects engaged in drug peddling, importing cocaine from Brazil exporting to some other West African countries.

Recovered from the gang included three AK-47 rifles, 16 magazines, Honda IV Tech car with number plate, LAGOS FST 254 AE and ash colour Toyota Picnic with number plate LAGOS JJJ 777 PU used by the suspects as mobile armoury.

The DSS boss, further hinted that one of the suspects, Ebere, was a notorious cocaine dealer from Edda in Ebonyi State, was arrested in Abia State when he wanted to collect the ransom, adding that he owned two AK-47 rifles, while Odichimma from Abia State was arrested in Asaba, Delta State in April and owned one AK-47 rifle.

He disclosed Chukwudi who hails from Umuozo in Abia State was arrested in April in a Lagos hotel where he fled after the kidnap of late Okorie while Amos, who is from Ebonyi, the same town with the deceased, brought the business and involved other suspects. He was arrested in Ajegunle, a Lagos suburb.

According to him, Peter, from Enugu Ukwu in Anambra State, is a panel beater and constructed the compartment under the Toyota Picnic van used by the gang for movement of arms and ammunition, bulk cash and cocaine, was arrested in August, while Adamu from Kogi State contacted one of the suspects demanding an AK-47 rifle to rob a company in Port Hacourt, the Rivers State’s capital.

DSS Boss further indicated that the suspects had also involved in other kidnap and robbery operations including the kidnap of one Obaleye in Ilesa, Osun State in December 2013 where a ransom of N28.6 million was paid before the release of the victim while they robbed a bank in February 2014 where they stole over N5 million.