In a classic fulfillment of the popular Nigerian saying, “many days for
the thief, one day for the owner of the house,” a man who made
kidnapping of little children his source of income has met his Waterloo
in Imo State.
The notorious kidnapper, Osundu, better known by his nickname, Galaxy,
who hailed from Umuduru Egbuaguru community in Onuimo Local Council
Development Area and his gang got more than they bargained for at
Umu-Ode in Ezelu Okwe another autonomous community in Onuimo LCDA on
October 4, 2016 as he was not only caught but burnt alive by members of
the community.
Galaxy had been a terror to the people as he specialized in the
kidnapping of children for sale, a horrific and heinous act he carried
out for over five months.
Galaxy and members of his gang had a practice of visiting Umu-Ode Ezelu
on the communities market day, when most people would have gone to the
Afo Ezu in Umuna, and particularly at such hours when there would
probably be no adult person around to confront them. They would then
abduct any child they could see. But on that fateful day, October 4,
their cup of iniquity filled up and spilled over, when the gang abducted
the male child of a street trader, Mrs. Elesius Duru alias Nwunye
Onyibo and zoomed off.
The woman let out a blood-cuddling scream of anguish, with all the power
that heaven transmitted into voice. The high decibel of her cry of pain
arrested the attention of youths in the area and members of the Imo
Security Network, who pursued the gang with motorcycles and a bus. The
youths overtook the gang’s getaway bus and forced it to run into a ditch
by roadside. They immediately rescued the child from the gang although
the little boy had sustained a small wound on his head. The little boy
was handed over to his parents who immediately took him to the St.
Joseph Hospital in Okwelle for treatment. But the irate youths took
custody of Galaxy, the leader the gang and one of his members, and after
questioning them, they instantly administered jungle justice by setting
the duo ablaze even before the police arrived at the scene.
An indigene of the community who pleaded anonymity explained that the
youths took the decision because of their conviction that the duo would
have been set free if they had been handed over to the police.
He said that Galaxy had been a thorn in the flesh of the community and
everyone had been on the look out for the gang, hoping to catch them
red-handed.
He explained further: “They normally come when most people have either
gone to the market or to the farms and kidnap any child around and
disappear. For the past five months we have had lost children suspected
to have been kidnapped by Osundu and his group. So, they came as usual
on the Afor Ezu market knowing that most people would have gone to the
market and snatched the two-year old son from Nwunye Oyigbo while she
was selling on the street. But this time they did not escape as youths
and the members of the Imo Security Network pursued and caught them even
though some of them ran away. We were able to get the leader Osundu and
one other person and set them ablaze.”
However, narrating her ugly experience, Mrs. Elesius told Sunday Sun:
“When they came to where I was selling I thought they wanted to buy
something from me but it was when one of them carried my son Ikechukwu
who was sitting beside me to the car they came with that I started
shouting as they drove away. My scream alerted the people around and
immediately some of the youths and okada riders (commercial
motorcyclists), including the members of the Imo Security Network
started to pursue them and eventually caught up with them. “I thank God
that my son was rescued alive even though he sustained a minor injury
on his head. I quickly took him to St. Joseph Hospital where he was
treated.”
But a twist was added to the situation when the father of the child, Mr.
Elesius Duru fainted after being informed that this first child and son
had been kidnapped. It took the prompt action of people nearby to
revive him.
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