The unprecedented visit of strange-looking men to the
home of Dr. Paul Erie, an associate professor of agricultural economics
at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Ambrose Alli
University (AAU), Ekpoma, on June 16, 2015 signaled an ominous
outcome.
His house is located at Igbanke, Orhionmwon Local Government
Area of Edo State. Time was 8pm.
The armed invaders numbering
eight, reportedly positioned themselves strategically within the
premises. While some of them barged into the sitting room without
knocking, others stayed outside to ward off intruders.
They
reportedly made straight for where Dr Erie was, with a stern warning to
him to cooperate or have his life wasted by a bullet from their lethal
weapon.
Like a sheep being led to the slaughter, Dr Erie
reportedly obeyed and was subsequently whisked away in their operational
vehicle which left a haze of dust from its screeching tyres.
The
commando-like operation was that of kidnap! Investigations by Crime
Guard revealed that Dr Erie’s case was not the first of its kind in
Igbanke. In fact, some indigenes who came visiting during festive
periods are frequently kidnapped, only to be released after payment of
ransom.
Crime Guard gathered that after contact was established
by Erie’s devastated family, N900,000 was dropped next day at a
designated point at the instruction of his abductors who promised to
release him later that day.
But the culprits never lived up to their
promise as Erie’s apprehensive family members waited in vain for his
return, without any explanation from his abductors on reasons for the
delay.
The worst fears of the anxious family were however
confirmed four months after, following the arrest of the suspected
kidnappers by men of the Anti-Kidnapping Team set up by the Edo State
Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Ezike, where it was discovered to the
chagrin of all, that Dr Erie had been murdered!
During interrogation,
the suspects disclosed that the remains of Dr. Erie had been buried in a
shallow grave in their hideout located inside a forest at Igbanke.
Policemen of the Anti-Kidnapping Team, on the directive of the CP,
reportedly accompanied the suspects to the shallow grave where an
exhumation of the body carried out confirmed the corpse to be that of Dr
Erie!
One of the suspect was in-law to deceased
Surprisingly,
one of the suspects was discovered to be an in-law to the deceased. He
is Lucky Amiehi, the suspected leader of the kidnap syndicate that had
been terrorising Igbanke and the entire Edo State. In this interview
with Crime Guard, Amiehi (33), a welder who admitted to have been behind
several kidnaps in the state disclosed that information on their
victims was often given to them by their relations.
He was however
quick to state that he never knew that late Erie was his in-law until
the gang’s sinister motive was accomplished. Hear him: “Yes, I was among
those that went to kidnap Prof. from his house. I never knew him by his
name. But he was popularly called ‘Prof.’ We never planned to kill him.
His death was an error on the part of my colleagues.
After we
succeeded in abducting him from his house, we drove straight to the bush
where we kept him. We did not blindfold him, but only advised him to
cooperate with us. Next day, I contacted his wife and demanded for N10
million ransom. But she pleaded that she could only raise N900,000 and I
told her where to take the money to.
“Immediately after the
conversation, I went back to the bush only to discover that Prof.’s
mouth was tied with his singlet. When I asked why, they told me that he
attempted to raise the alarm when he heard footsteps. “But on close
observation, I discovered that he was motionless. Immediately, I untied
his mouth.
Yet, he did not move. I called the attention of the boys
that tied him up, but they claimed he was only pretending. Since it was
raining, I let him be, with the hope that he would be revived by the
rain. That evening, I went to the meeting point to collect the N900,000
ransom from his wife.
“But to my surprise, I later discovered that he was my in-law.
My
sister was married to Prof’s younger brother who died about five years
ago. She had a son for him. Though I visited her while her late husband
was alive, I never met Prof. It was when my relative told me that my
sister’s brother in-law had been kidnapped and described his house to
me, that I realised I had shot myself in the leg.
“I never gave
anyone information on Prof. In fact, one of us wanted to kidnap him
before now. But by the time they went, they discovered he had left for
Ekpoma Campus of AAU, where he was a lecturer. On the day he was
eventually kidnapped, I was informed he was around. In fact, two members
of our gang had to keep watch on his apartment before our arrival.”
“We treat our victims like VIPs”
“We
never beat our victims because someone who wants to give you money does
not deserve to be beaten. Rather, we treated them like VIPs. We never
meant to kill Prof. His death was an error. The singlet used to tie his
mouth was mistakenly used to tie his nose as well. He could have
suffocated.”
Amiehi disclosed further that, before the abduction of
late Dr Erie, an indigene of Igbanke who came visiting from Port
Harcourt, River State, Mr Abel Ushagwu, was also abducted the same week.
Ushagwu, Crime Guard gathered, was also taken to the bush, from where
he was released after N5 million was paid as ransom.
Amiehi
revealed that he got N600,000 out of the amount, and added: “The man
worked in an oil firm in Port Harcourt. He visited the village for
burial. On his way back from the funeral ceremony, we laid ambush for
him in front of his house. We also had the intention of selling the
victim’s car. But it was tracked by the police to where we packed it.
“I
was also responsible for the abduction of two Chinese men along Esan
Road. We drove them to the bush as usual but they later escaped. They
were able to escape because after each kidnap, we usually stayed
distance away from where our victims were kept. That way, policemen will
not be able to trace our exact location, should they be tracking our
calls.”
Asked how they were able to abduct the Chinese men, he
said: “We laid ambush for them along the expressway and struck when they
slowed down on approaching a bad spot.” Also asked how they were able
to cover their tracks in the bush without being noticed by villagers who
have farmlands around their den, he said victims were usually warned in
their own interest to keep quiet since they were not going to be used
for rituals.
He further explained that most times, they monitored
farmers before leaving or going to visit their den. “I also changed my
clothes any time I was going out of the bush so as not to arouse
farmers’ suspicion. Besides, the forest is very far from villagers
farmlands, so no one could easily see our victims.”
Business,
according to him, sometimes went sour, particularly when they discovered
that their victims were poor. “Most times, it was women that turned out
to be poor victims. And these people were usually those kidnapped
outside Igbanke. Any time such persons were kidnapped, we would allow
them to go because our purpose of kidnapping in the first place was to
make money.”
Asked what he used the money realised from the
illicit business for, he replied in a harsh tone: “Ah! Ah! Why are you
asking me such question? Am I not a family man? It is expected that I
should have expenses as a family man. I have a wife and two children who
are students.”
When asked if his wife was aware that he was into
kidnapping, he replied: “No, she was not. I did not even give her any
reasonable amount any time business boomed, or must I tell my wife
everything? She does not have to know everything about me simply because
she is my wife. Whenever I went out for an operation, whether at night
or in the day time, I didn’t need her approval. And whenever I returned,
she won’t ask me where I went to.”
Beginning of kidnapping career, arrest
“I
started kidnapping since 2012 and we were more than eight initially.
Some of our members are no longer in Nigeria. “But whenever business was
low, I focused on my welding job”, he said without feeling remorseful.
Arrested
alongside Amiehi were Usiagwu Stephen (68), Jeremiah Amayo (40), Samson
Idegbema (39), Eboigbe Monday, Ejimeh Oyairie (55), Benjamin Blessing
(27) and Odion Otabo (40). Some of them confessed their culpability in
several kidnaps in the state while others claimed to be victims of
circumstance, appealing to the police to pardon them.
But the
Command boss, Mr Chris Ezike, stated that their case would be determined
at the court where they would soon be charged to, adding that the
Command had resolved to launch a strategic battle against kidnapping in
the state. He therefore warned others still indulged in the criminal act
to desist or have same fate befall them.
culled from Vanguard