By Ngozi Uwujare
Some kidnappers who chose to specialise in abducting priests of the Catholic church in the foolish belief that they would be able to get their hands on collections taken during mass are now gnashing their teeth in regret in the custody of the Imo State Police Command, as they ponder what lies ahead for them.
Back in July 16, this year, the suspects abducted a Reverend Father, Charles Nwachukwu of Okigwe Catholic Diocese and disposed him of his Toyota Highlander SUV along Umuokpo Agbajah in Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo state. They also demanded for ransom.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike told Sunday Sun that when the abduction was reported, the police began tracking their movement with the help of new technology.
On July 18, 2017, the victim was successfully rescued unhurt at Umuokpo forest in Agbajah Nwangele Local Government Area, Imo state and the stolen SUV was subsequently recovered at Agbajah Nwangele Local Government Area.
CP Ezike explained further that the seven suspected armed robbers and kidnappers had been involved in several abduction incidents. He listed the names of the suspects as Chinedu Odoemena, 24, Ogadinma, 20, Uzoma Mejur, 48, all of who hail from Umuokpu Agbajah in Nwangele Local Government Area, Imo state. The others are Akachukwu Agu, 34, from Ohafia, Abia State, Chima Agujuo, 20, from Nkwerre Local Government Area, Chukwu Chima, 27, from Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area, Desmond Akano, 25 of Umuchoko Umuozu in Nwangele Local Government Area, Imo state.
At the headquarters of the police command, one of the suspects, Chinedu Odoemenam told Sunday Sun in a chat why the gang chose to concentrate on abducting priests: “We decided to specialise in kidnapping reverend fathers because we believe we will get church collection from them. We have kidnapped over five reverend fathers and took the church collections from them. We would lay in ambush for them and once we collected the church money, we would kidnap them.
“We kidnapped Rev. Father Charles Nwachukwu and took his Toyota Highlander SUV. We took him to Umuokpo forest in Agbajah Nwangele Local Government Area, Imo state. We were thinking we could recover the church money from him. We held him for two days, waiting for the ransom.”
Meanwhile the police detectives on their trail were closing in on the gang. On the second day after the abduction, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Imo State Police Command stormed their hideout and arrested the members of the gang.
CP Ezike added that the command recovered the Toyota Highlander SUV, a gold wrist watch belonging to the victim, one single barrel pump action gun with registration number 20239 and one locally made pistol.
The suspects are now awaiting the day they would be arraigned in court.