Chukwudi Onuamadike, a.k.a Evans, the multibillionaire most wanted Nigerian kidnapper who was arrested in Lagos on Saturday spoke about his adventure into business of kidnapping and the gains he has made from the vicious business when he was paraded by the Police alongside his gang members. Excerpts:

Evans speaking to journalists when he was paraded by the Police

“My friend, known as Hunch Man, introduced me into kidnapping and after a few operations during Peter Obi’s administration, we were forced to leave the state and we moved to Edo State. I had some boys from Warri, Delta State, working with me.

“We carried out two big kidnappings where our victims paid N80m and N100million respectively. In 2013, I came to Lagos and I went straight to Festac Town. Before I came to Festac, I had already established contacts with some boys. One of the jobs we did was that of the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Vincent Obianodo.

“One guy, known as Emeka, brought the job and we were five that went for that operation — Hunch Man, Nmamdi, Uche, Nwoke and I.

“I was the one driving and our target was to kill Young Shall Grow’s driver and his police orderly. Hunch Man, Uche Nnamdi and Nwoke were carrying guns and they were the people who fired at Young Shall Grow.

“Hunch Man and Uche were killed during the attack, while Nnamdi, Nwoke and I survived. That operation was my most bloody operation. I didn’t know it was going to turn out that way. I usually don’t know names of people I kidnapped in Festac. But if I see them, I will tell you what I did to them. I have people who gave me information about my victims.

“The pharmacist job is the only one that gave us a problem. The highest ransom I collected was $1million dollars from somebody living in Festac. I keep my victims for months because I want their people to pay the ransom I demanded. I have people cooking for my victims, one of who stays in the house; his name is Uche.

“The other boy is from Aguleri. The boy is a new person, but Uche is old. I usually pay Uche N20million for every operation. I usually make the calls for the ransom. I have six boys in Lagos. My mother does not come to my house and she also knows that I am into crime but she is not in support.

“I bought this house for N130million and I have two houses in Magodo. My house in Ghana is bigger than this. I don’t kill.

“One Louise whom I met in a restaurant in Lagos, sometimes ago, was the one that supplied me with arms and ammunition. Apart from kidnapping, I have been into drug business where I made most of my money. Before I started kidnapping, I was a businessman, leaving my business for kidnapping was my personal choice. I also do drug business. I live in Lagos; I am not living out of the country.”

“I am just asking for another chance, I am sorry for my action, I will become a Christian, if only I have another chance. I cannot remember the number of people I have kidnapped so far. I took part in high profile kidnappings in Edo State where I got N10million as my share.”

“I was able to evade police arrest because I was too wise. I am the only surviving member of our initial gang. I formed my gang and my members formed their own gang which is an adhoc gang. I told Uche to hire two flats at Igando. When we get victims, we have people that will receive them and hand over to another gang who would hand over to another person that looks after the victims. None of these gang members know themselves, so it is difficult to know me. The only person that knows me very well is my second in command, Felix, but he does not know where I stay.

“I have two houses in Magodo Estate and two others in Accra Ghana. I have 11 phones and they are for different gangs. I don’t use a phone for two gangs. The one for my immediate family members is different from that of extended family. I tried as much as I could to keep off from trouble and the people I know. I am still puzzled the way I was picked in my house like a common criminal.

“It is true I don’t collect Naira for ransom. I collect Dollars. And I don’t reduce ransom. If I say $1 million, it is final. This was because of what I went through in life. It’s not because I am wicked.

“I was into auto parts importation but lost all my money (over N25 million) when Customs seized my goods. I relocated to South Africa, where I started peddling drugs. Along the line, my business partner shot me thinking I was dead. I recuperated, returned to Nigeria and decided to start kidnapping rich people for ransom.

“The police see me as a bad man. I am not evil. I have never killed. The victims who died were killed by Urchman, Uche and Nnamdi. They were the ones who carried weapons. Chinedu and Ehis brought contacts and names of victims to be kidnapped. We have kidnapped about 10 people since I started my own gang in 2015. Uyi Technical and Dan Odete paid N100 million and N50 million ransom respectively. I got N10 million as share.

“The highest amount I have collected was $1 million from Festac. I don’t know my networth. I don’t have any money in the bank. I operate only one account. I collect dollars because it’s my choice. It’s not true that victims pay money to an account in South Africa.

“Once the victims pay the ransom, the money goes to the people who own it. I don’t have a boss but some people own the money.

“I have people heading different sections. There are two gangs that work for me in every operation. It is not all the time I follow them. Most times, I control them on phone. The two gangs do not know themselves and none of them know my house.

“Two people take charge of the detention camp at Igando and on every operation, I pay them N2 million each. My parents are in the village. My mother knows what I do but she has never approved of it. I have five children- three boys and two girls. I sent my family to Canada.

“I have dual citizenship – Nigeria and Ghana. I got visa for my family in Ghana because I couldn’t get it in Nigeria. I have not left Nigeria since 2007 that I returned from South Africa but my family usually travelled and I also give money to people to buy whatever I need or I buy online.

“Most of our victims are targetted and picked along the road or before they enter their homes. We do not pick victims from their homes. I believe it was time for me to be arrested, that was why I was caught because I have always been in Nigeria. I am suffering from abdominal cancer and I am always on drug.

“Uche Amadin is incharge of the detention camp at Igando. At first, I told him I was into international business (drugs) but along the line, he knew it was kidnapping and he stayed with me. He was the one who brought his wife into it. He was the one who said we should rent a house at Igando in his wife’s name.”

Credit: The Sun and Vanguard newspapers