Akwa Ibom: Court sentences four to death by hanging for kidnapping 

An Akwa Ibom State High Court has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their involvement in series of kidnappings in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State and neighboring communities in Rivers State.

The convicts were found guilty of kidnapping an Anambra State businessman, Mr. Chijioke Anyanwuor, proprietor of Jon KAMSY Supermarket, Ikot Abasi, after collecting a ransom of ₦3 million from his family.

The four condemned men are Marvelous Ndah, 38, a native of Ikot Iyire, Edemaya in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area; Anthony Anthony Akpan, 37, an indigene of Ekput in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area; Aniema Eshiet, 34, from Oborenyin in Ikot Abasi; and Onyebule Gift Ogbonna, 41, from Omuma Local Government Area of 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 Anyanwu.

The defendants 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, contrary to Section 1(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law, 2009.

Delivering a judgment read for over two hours, Justice Archibong Archibong found the four defendants guilty as charged, holding that 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 judge held.

The court heard that on January 25, 2016, the gang abducted Anyanwuor in front of his residence in Ikot Abasi.

Although the kidnappers later collected a ₦3 million ransom from his family, the victim died in their custody.

His body was buried in a shallow grave at Ikot Iyire, Edemaya, Ikot Abasi.

About four months later, the remains were discovered and exhumed, after which the deceased was buried in his hometown of Agulu, Anambra State.

He was survived by his 32-year-old widow and four children.

Evidence before the court further revealed that on April 16, 2016, the same gang kidnapped Mrs Jewel Emem Thomas, a female lecturer of Akwa Ibom State University, from her residence along Ikpetim Road, Ikot Abasi.

The court heard that the lecturer’s husband pleaded with the kidnappers to take him instead and spare his wife, but they refused.

The gang directed him to deliver a ₦2 million ransom at Bolingo Mortuary Road, off Igwuruta, Port Harcourt.

After collecting the ransom on April 19, 2016, at about 9:00 pm, 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 April 26, 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 Anyanwuor 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.

Ndah further admitted involvement in the kidnapping of a former councillor in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, Mr. Emmanuel Obot Inam, in March 2016, from which he received ₦150,000.

Anthony Akpan, in his statement, admitted providing intelligence that led to the kidnapping of Emmanuel Obot Inam on April 9, 2016, and said he was responsible for buying food for the victim.

He collected ₦100,000 from the ransom.

Akpan also confessed to participating in the kidnapping of the AKSU lecturer, stating that he monitored police activity around the Union Bank axis near her residence.

He said he received ₦120,000 from that ransom and disclosed plans by the gang to kidnap a former Chairman of Ikot Abasi Local Government, Architect Ufot Udoinyang, before his arrest.

Aniema Eshiet told investigators that he guarded the kidnapped lecturer for five days at Ndah’s residence and collected ₦125,000 as his share of the ransom.

He also admitted supplying information on Architect Udoinyang to the gang, led by one Justice Okiribo, alias “Razy,” who is still at large.

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, holding that the prosecution failed to establish credible evidence linking them to the kidnapping of the late Mr. Anyanwuor.

Akwa Ibom: Court sentences four to death by hanging for kidnapping