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Christopher Oji
After two years manhunt, the police have finally arrested Godwin, the alleged arms supplier to suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Owuamadike, alias Evans.
Godwin, who was alleged to have sold most of the firearms, ammunition and rocket launchers used by Evans during his reign in the underworld, was arrested by operatives of the Inspector- General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Evans, who was arrested in June 2017 in his mansion at Magodo, Lagos, was said to have mentioned Godwin during interrogation as his major arms supplier.
A police source from IRT, who does not want his name to be mentioned, as he was not supposed to talk to the press, disclosed that Evans had on many occasions confessed that some of the rocket launchers and Ak-47 rifles used by members of his gang in blowing up bank security doors and bullion vans during robbery and kidnapping operations were all supplied to him by Godwin.
The police source said Godwin had serious contacts with arms dealers in Chad and Niger Republic.
The sources said that following the confession of Evans, the IGP ordered operatives of the IRT to launch a manhunt on Godwin.
He said for two years, Godwin became elusive and went into hiding, and later resurfaced, thinking that since Evans’ case has gone to the court, police operatives hunting for him would have relaxed.
He, however, said that through cutting edge technology, Godwin was trailed to Asaba, the capital of Delta State, where he was apprehended.
Godwin, in an interview in IRT cell, told Daily Sun that he sold only five Ak-47 rifles to Evans.
He said: “I only sold five AK-47 rifles to Evans. I started selling firearms in 1990. I am a native of Obingwa in Abia State. I learnt how to make guns from my boss, late Nnawakwo. He was killed by security operatives for gunrunning.
“I spent three years learning the job of making gun before I started making my own. I have several customers coming to buy guns in large quantity. I usually sold locally made double barrel guns for N10,000 and single barrel for N6,000, while the short guns were sold for N10,000.
“One of my customers, Nwakpa, who was coming from Kaduna State to buy guns from me, was the person who linked me to big arms dealers in Chad and Niger republic. They were the people who supplied me the five Ak-47 rifles I sold to Evans, which he used for his bank robbery and kidnapping business. I met Evans when he came to my village to treat his bullet wounds and his native doctor, Eyinaya Hearth, linked him to me. I knew he was using the guns for robbery and kidnapping.
“Evans paid me N1.7million for the five Ak-47 rifles. The riffles were supplied to me from Chad. The rifles were concealed in bags of fish and I took my commission and gave the rest of the money to Nwakpa. It was Nwakpa, who supplied the rocket launchers to Evans, not me.
“Before Evans was arrested I had stopped gunrunning. I went into hiding when I heard that Evans was arrested because I knew he was going to mention my name to the police.
“After some years, I decided to come out hiding, not knowing that the police were still looking for me. I swear, I had warned Evan to stop kidnapping, but he wouldn’t listen. See the problem that I am facing now.”
