A combined team of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Army has arrested three members of a kidnap gang that picked the elder brother of the chairman of Coscharis Group, Mr. Cosmas Maduka, and rescued the victim, Mr. Pius Maduka. The kidnappers had extorted the sum of N12 million from the Maduka family but still held on to their victim while demanding more cash.

News Express learnt that Maduka was kidnapped on July 4, 2014 at his country home in Umudim, Nnewi, and whisked away in the gang’s 607 Peugeot car with plate number GGE 31 BC. He was held in captivity for nine days before being rescued.

The suspects, namely, Bartholomew Ugwu (alias Jackmore) from Umunze in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra State, and Chigozie Ebere from Umungwa, Obowo in neighbouring Imo State, after kidnapping Maduka, took him to their hideout, from where they demanded N100 million ransom.

The third member of the gang, Nnaemeka Ezekwe, who is also from Umunze, served as the gang’s informant.

Following negotiations, the kidnappers reduced the ransom to N50 million. Despite collecting N12m ransom, the gang still kept their victim in their den expecting to collect the balance of N38 million before releasing him.

Luck, however, ran out on them when security operatives swooped on them while still waiting for the balance.

Briefing journalists on the successful rescue operation, the Anambra State Director of DSS, Mr. Alex Okeiyi, said that the hideout where the victim was rescued had been an old camp of the kidnap gang where many victims kidnapped in Anambra and Imo states had been kept in the past.

According to Okeiyi, “It is heartwarming to note that the leader of the gang, Ifeanyi, alias Obele, had been arrested by the Rivers State command of DSS and he is the person that collected N12 million from Maduka family and provided weapons for the gang.

“The Nnewi and Umunze kidnap operations and others in various parts of the state had brought to the fore the inter-state nature of operations of the criminals and also confirmed that some kidnap operations in Anambra State were perpetrated by criminals from outside the state in collaboration with accomplices within.”

Narrating his ordeal to reporters in Awka, the kidnap victim, Mr. Pius Maduka, said he was on his way to the office when the 607 double-crossed his car and the occupants jumped out and bundled him into their car to a place he could still not identify.

“These people tortured me and as they were torturing me, they were demanding for a huge amount of money from my brother, Mr. Cosmas Maduka. Throughout the period they held me, they fed me with bread and pure water,” he said.

“They kept me in a room where I was guarded by one of their members until I was rescued. Yesterday (Monday) I heard a sound of people and they turned out to be security people who came to rescue me. I thank God that I am still alive,” he added.

Confessing before newsmen, Chigozie Ebere, who claimed to be a trailer driver and in whose residence at Amaifeke, Orlu, Imo State, the victim was kept, said it was his third operation as a kidnapper. He disclosed that he was given N2 million for each of the three kidnapped persons kept in his house.

Ebere said that he met the leader of the gang, Obele, an Okada rider, when he was in Umuahia, Abia State, from where they began the business of kidnapping.

The other member of the gang, Bartholomew Ugwu, said he was paid N300,000 from the amount paid by the Maduka family, adding that gang leader Obele even pursued him with a gun and collected the money.

He revealed that one of the victims was shot by Obele, apparently as he attempted to escape.

•Photo shows suspected kidnappers of Pius Maduka, brother of Coscharis Group Chairman Cosmas Maduka.

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