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From Isaac Job, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced four persons to death by hanging for kidnapping an Anambra-born businessman identified as Mr Chijioke Anyanwu in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area and later killing the victim after collecting ₦3 million ransom from his family.
According to sources, Mr Anyanwu was a proprietor of KAMSY supermarket in Ikot Abasi who was abducted by his captors and murdered in the kidnappers’ den after collecting ₦3 million ransom from his family.
The condemned men were Marvelous Ndah, 38, a native of Ikot Iyire, Edemaya in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area; Anthony Akpan, 37, from Ekput in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area; Aniema Eshiet, 34, from Ikot Oborenyin in Ikot Abasi; and Onyebule Gift Ogbonna, 41, from Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was gathered that the four condemned persons were members of a notorious nine-man kidnapping syndicate that terrorised residents of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State and neighbouring communities in Rivers State.
They were standing trial alongside two other defendants, Uche Success Nwokocha and Chidi Christian Nwokoma, who were discharged and acquitted for want of evidence linking them to the kidnapping of the late victim.
According to the charge sheet made available to journalists, the four condemned persons were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, contrary to section 552 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria 2000, and kidnapping in line with section 1(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law, 2009.
Delivering judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Archibong Archibong, found the four defendants guilty as charged as the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I hope this judgment will act as a deterrent to those who, like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th defendants, and all those who aspire to be like them,” the trial judge held.
Justice Archibong recalled that on 25 January 2016, the gang abducted Mr Anyanwu in front of his residence in Ikot Abasi community.
He said although the kidnappers later collected a ₦3 million ransom from the victim’s family, the abductors killed him in their custody and buried his corpse in a shallow grave at Ikot Iyire, Edemaya, Ikot Abasi.
He said after four months, the decomposing body was discovered and exhumed for proper burial in his hometown at Agulu, Anambra State.
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He said the same gang also kidnapped another victim, Mrs Jewel Emem Thomas, a female lecturer at Akwa Ibom State University, at her residence in Ikpetim Road, within Ikot Abasi, at night.
Justice Archibong explained that the lecturer’s husband pleaded with the kidnappers to take him instead and spare his wife, but they refused before the gang demanded ₦2 million which was dropped for them at Bolingo Mortuary Road, off Igwuruta, Port Harcourt.
“After collecting the ransom on 19 April 2016, at about 9 p.m., the kidnappers dumped the victim at Ibekwe Road near ALSON Company in Ikot Abasi and gave her ₦80 to transport herself home.
“Investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS) led to the arrest of Marvelous Ndah on 26 April 2016, along Abak Road in Uyo.
“Ndah confessed to his involvement in the kidnapping of the lecturer and several other abductions carried out by the gang.
“His confession led to the arrest of Anthony Akpan and Aniema Eshiet.
“In his extrajudicial statement, Ndah admitted collecting ₦400,000 as his share of the Anyanwu ransom and participating in at least four kidnapping operations in 2016.
“He also confessed to the abduction of a UBA staff member and a petroleum marketer in Ikot Abasi, from whose ransom payments he collected ₦200,000”.
The fourth convict, Onyebule Gift Ogbonna, was also found to have actively participated in the criminal operations of the gang.
Justice Archibong, however, discharged and acquitted Uche Success Nwokocha and Chidi Christian Nwokoma on the ground that the prosecution failed to establish credible evidence linking them to the kidnapping of the late Mr Anyanwu.
The judgment brings to an end one of the most horrifying kidnapping cases in Ikot Abasi, sending a strong signal against violent crimes in Akwa Ibom State.
