An Akwa Ibom state high court in Uyo on Wednesday, December 17, sentenced four men to death by hanging for the kidnapping and murder of a businessman in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom state.
The men identified as Marvelous Ndah (38), Anthony Akpan (37), Aniema Eshiet (34), and Onyebule Gift Ogbonna (41) were members of a nine-man syndicate responsible for terrorising Ikot Abasi and neighbouring communities in Rivers state.
The defendants were found guilty of abducting Chijioke Anyanwu, owner of Jon Kamsy supermarket in Ikot Abasi, and killing him after collecting a ₦3 million ransom from his family.
Two co-defendants, Uche Success Nwokocha and Chidi Christian Nwokoma, were discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
Justice Archibong Archibong, delivering the judgment on Wednesday, said the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Court records reveal that on January 25, 2016, the syndicate abducted Anyanwu outside his home in Ikot Abasi.
Despite receiving a ₦3 million ransom, the victim was killed, and his body was buried in a shallow grave at Ikot Iyire, Edemaya, Ikot Abasi.
The remains were discovered about four months later and reburied in his hometown of Agulu, Anambra state.
Anyanwu left behind a widow and four children.
Court records further revealed that the gang abducted Jewel Emem Thomas, a lecturer at Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), on April 16, 2016.
Her husband’s plea to be taken instead was ignored.
After receiving a ₦2 million ransom, the kidnappers abandoned her along Ibekwe road in Ikot Abasi with only ₦80 to return home.
The Department of State Services (DSS) led the investigation, resulting in the arrest of Ndah on April 26, 2016, along Abak road, Uyo.
He confessed to multiple kidnappings, including that of Anyanwu, and implicated Akpan, Eshiet, and Ogbonna.
Ndah admitted collecting ₦400,000 from Anyanwu’s ransom and participating in at least four other abductions in 2016, including a banker and a petroleum marketer, from whom he collected ₦200,000.
Ndah also revealed his participation in the abduction of former councillor Emmanuel Obot Inam, receiving ₦150,000 from the ransom.
Akpan, Eshiet, and Ogbonna also admitted to roles in the kidnappings, including providing intelligence, guarding victims, and sharing ransom proceeds.
Akpan admitted to providing intelligence for the kidnapping of Emmanuel Obot Inam and monitored police activity during the abduction of the AKSU lecturer.
He collected ₦100,000 and ₦120,000 from ransom payments.
Eshiet confessed to guarding the kidnapped lecturer for five days and collecting ₦125,000.
He also supplied information on a planned abduction of a former Ikot Abasi local government chairman, Architect Ufot Udoinyang, orchestrated by the gang leader, Justice Okiribo, also known as Razy, who remains at large.
Comments