Osinachi Ngerem, a 41-year-old suspected kidnapper, who was recently apprehended by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Imo State Police Command, has been telling the police why he enjoyed abducting married women and collecting large sums as ransom from their families, according to Sun News.
Ngerem was nabbed alongside a fellow suspect, Ugona Franklin.
Among their victims are Mrs Ngozi Njoku, Mrs Ifeanyi Obi and Mrs Mary Christiana. The women were kidnapped around Ezlama Ahazu in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. The duo collected N10 million as ransom from their families before freeing the women.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hussanni Rabiu told Saturday Sun that the notorious kidnappers were members of a five-man gang that had a penchant for kidnapping married women. Their reason? It was always quite an easy job to collect good money running into millions of naira as ransom from their husbands.
The police boss said the suspects had been involved in several kidnapping activities in various states like Imo, Anambra and Enugu states.
CP Rabiu said that in November 2020, the five-man gang had kidnapped one Mrs Ifeanyi Obi in Awka, Anambra State.
“She was kidnapped and taken to their hideout in Ngor Okpala. The husband of the victim was called and they demanded N20million ransom. They negotiated and he paid N2 million. The victim was in their custody for three days before she was released.
“In January 2021, the same gang kidnapped one Mrs Mary Christiana along Miles 2 in Enugu. She was thereafter taken to their hideout, where they demanded a ransom of N5million. The victim’s relatives pleaded for the freedom of the woman, but to no avail. They had to pay N1million before she was released after spending five days in their custody.
“Meanwhile, in March 2021, the same gang kidnapped one Mrs Mary Christiana who was kidnapped in Onitsha, Anambra State. She was kidnapped within her residence. She was dragged into their vehicle. They asked the victim to call her husband to send money to them. They demanded N10million ransom. Later, the victim’s relatives transferred N500,000 through P.O.S to the kidnappers and the victim was released.”
CP Rabiu added that luck ran against the suspects when the Anti-kidnapping Commander, Supol Oladimeji Oyeyiyewa and his operations team swung into action and arrested the main suspect, Osinachi Ngerem on August 18, 2021 around 6:00pm. That was after the victim had allegedly
kidnapped one Mrs Ngozi Njoku along Eziama Ahazu in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. They rescued the victim and paid N2.5 million to the kidnappers after the kidnappers had demanded N5 million ransom. During their encounter with the police operatives, two of the suspects were arrested while others escaped from the scene of the crime. “A locally made pistol, pump action gun and cartridges were also recovered from the suspects,” he said..
He said three members of the same gang also, on October 6, 2021 used a motorcycle to attempt to kidnap one female victim before the Commander, Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Supol Oladimeji Oyeyiyewa swung into action and had an encounter with them.
He said one of the kidnappers was arrested and identified as Tochukwu Amadi in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State with bullet wounds while one pump action rifle with live cartridges, cutlass, charms, face mask and other items were also recovered from the gang. Other members, the police boss said, escaped with bullet wounds.
