Eight suspected members of a notorious syndicate who
kidnapped the mother of the Minister for Finance and Co-
ordinating Minister for Economy, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala have been arrested by the police in Lagos.
Following the arrest of Chiejine Onochie and Chukwuma
Okoh on March 27, 2013, by operatives of the State
Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the Lagos State Police Command
for their alleged roles in a particular case and in the
subsequent confessions in the kidnap of the mother of the
finance minister, six other suspects - Jideofor Ogbue (aka
Marvellous), Michael Ojeagbulu, Endurance Okeke, Ibrahim
Abubakar, Buhari Hamadora and Hassan Oseni were also
arrested.
Onochie, who claimed to be a palace aide where the mother
of the Minister for Finance stays, admitted selling her out to
the would-be kidnappers, and blamed poverty for his action.
According to the 32-year-old suspect: “I contacted Chukwuma
Okoh, who I came in contact through my girlfriend. It was
Chukwuma who contacted Ifeanyi and the same Ifeanyi
recruited Jideofor Ogbue (aka Marvellous) and others to
kidnap the Mama.
“The day they came for the Mama, Prof Kanene Okonjo, she
was outside the gate. When they accosted her, they claimed it
was the presidency that directed them to pick her up when
they could not see the Minister for Finance, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala for arrest on allegations of fraud involving
billions of naira.”
Despite giving useful information to the syndicate, Victor said
he was not offered any kobo proceed from the N13 million
ransom collected.
Another member of the gang, Chukwuma Onochie, a graduate
of Accounting and Finance, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma,
Edo State, also blamed joblessness for his involvement with
the gang.
The 31-year-old suspect also claimed he did not get any kobo
from the N13 million because he opposed other members of
the gang who were demanding an outrageous N60 million
ransom.
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