Two brothers plot kidnap of their sibling, demand for N7m ransom

Sunday, August 9, 2020 12:36 am

Mastermind of the kidnapping joined in search party for the missing victim,pockets N450,000 as share of the loot

Officers of the Imo Police Command have arrested two suspects, Lucky Osuji 25, Reward 17, from Emekuku Owerri North local government area of the State for allegedly conspiring with members of Black Axe Fraternity, a cult group to kidnap their sibling, Confidence, for ransom.

The suspects allegedly and threatened to kill him the 14-year-old Confidence for rituals if their grandfather failed to give them N7 million.

But the grandfather, Chief Chukwuna Osuji, described as the village ‘Prime Minister; was said to have reported the matter instantly to the Police who advised him not to pay any money.

But he went ahead and negotiated a N1millon with the alleged kidnappers while he later dropped in cash at the criminals hideout at Upe,Ngor Okpala after which his kidnapped grandson was released.

The Commissioner of Police, Imo State, Isaac Akimmoyede, who confirmed the incident explained that the suspects’ grandfather, Chief Osuji had on June 10, 2020, reported the matter to the Anti-kidnapping Squad that one of his sons, Confidence was kidnapped.

Akimmoyede said on getting the report, he mobilised the Anti-Kidnapping Squad Commander,Linus Nwaiwu and his team to action.

He added that after days of detailed observation and investigation, the police team swooped on a location in Upe, a community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State where Bernard Ugo, one of the criminals was arrested.

The Police Commissioner said on interrogation, he confessed that the two brothers to the kidnapped boy, Lucky and Reward were his accomplices and the police arrested them also.

Two days later, one Okechukwu Nwachuku whose home was used as the spot for the ransom collection was arrested.

His arrest led to the arrest of the remaining members of the gang, Apollo Jeffrey 22, Iregbu Akachuku,30 by the Police, the Commissioner said.

One of the involved in the kidnap of the victim is said to be a graduate of a tertiary institution waiting for his call up letter for the National Youth Service Corps NYSC., while the other brother has finished his Senior Secondary School Programme and awaiting admission into the University.

Lucky, while giving his account of his role in the kidnapping said his father, Elvis Osuji and mother, Blessing Osuji, both died in 2009, leaving him and brothers as orphans. Since they died, he and his siblings have been living with his grandparents.

He confessed that he has been planning to kidnap his brother since 2017, but he needed his immediate younger brother’s consent to join him in the plan which the brother agreed.

He then contracted five members of his gang to execute the plan.

Lucky added that he lured his sibling into the hands of the kidnappers on June 10, 2020 when he gave the victim N200,00 to wait for them at the junction saying they were going out to buy something during which his brother was kidnapped.

He said that when the matter was reported to his grandfather, he(Lucky) feigned ignorance and helped his grandfather to look for his brother.

The suspect said when his gang members asked his grandpa to pay N7 million, his grandpa pleaded with them and paid N1million out of which he received N450,000

He added that his grandfather has been good to them. but their desire to open a barbing salon led to the kidnapping of their brother in order to raise money for the business.

Ends