Kidnapped Nollywood diva, Miss Nkeiruka Sylvanus, was forced to
cough out over N8 million to regain her freedom from dare-devil kidnappers who
held her hostage for six days in a hideout, the police and State Security
Service, SSS have revealed.
Both security agencies held a joint media briefing, yesterday,
at the headquarters of the SSS, where six of the suspects, including a
dismissed mobile police officer, Ndidi Cletus, 30, who led the kidnap gang,
were paraded.
The Nollywood actress who doubles as aide to Imo State governor,
Chief Rochas Okorocha, was kidnapped on December 15, 2012 and released on
the December 21, 2012 after the payment of the ransom money.
The security agencies said that the suspects who belonged to a
notorious gang of kidnappers terrorised Imo State, kidnapping and collecting
huge ramsom from families of victims.
Six suspects namely Cletus, Stanley Asonna; Aminu Musa (aka
Boski); Mohammed Abubakar; Obinna Okwuolisa ;Samson Onwuka (aka VIP) were
paraded while three others, Okoro Bassey, Chijioke Chima and Festus Ologeme are
in police custody.
Deputy Director, Public Relations and Media, SSS, Ms. Marilyn
Ogar who paraded the suspects with the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer,
Frank Mba, explained that Cletus who hailed from Umuokedinma Awara in
Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, confessed that he enlisted in
the police as a constable in 2004 under the name, Mathew Ofurum.
According to her, Cletus claimed that he was dismissed from the
Force in 2007 because he was absent from duty for more than 21 days without
permit due to ill-health.
“The suspect confessed that he is the leader of a notorious
nine-man armed gang that kidnapped Sylvanus and the duo of Uche Okoli and
Kenneth Okoli and several others including one Okoro Okechukwu (aka
Sonnic), an electrical materials dealer on October 15, 2012 who was
subsequently released after payment of N1.025 million ransom; The sum of N3.4 million
was found on Cletus at the time of his arrest,” Ogar stated.
She also explained that Cletus admitted to kidnapping a civil
servant, Pauline Okwosha who was held between October 14 and 23, 2012 and
released after paying N3 million ransom.
The gang, according to Cletus’ confession, also kidnapped a
staff of Promasidor, Gloria Agbonghae who was held between December 1 and 4,
2012 and released after payment if N1.5 million.
Ogar said Asonna, 27, doubles as the gang’s driver and a guard
for kidnap victims at their Avu junction hideout while Musa, a Taraba State
indigene who was initiated into the gang by the ringleader, Cletus, confessed
to participating in the abduction of Okechukwu and Sylvanus.
The SSS spokesperson said the six suspects would be handed over
to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
Mba faulted Cletus’ account of his dismissal from the police,
and said that the gang leader deserted the Force when he got to know that he
was being wanted for sundry criminal activities.
Source: Leadership
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