Admin l Wednesday, Dec.05, 2018
LAGOS, Nigeria – The police today told a Lagos High Court,sitting in Ikeja how the chairman of ‘Young Shall Grow Motors’, Chief Obianuju Vincent was shot in a gun battle by the alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans. Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, 29, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, and Udeme Upong, 43, on a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempt to kidnap and sales and transfer of firearms.
Led in evidence by State Prosecutor, Mr Haroun Adebayo, Inspector of Police, Idowu Haruna, attached to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team said the boss of Young Shall Grow Motors attacked by the defendants along Third Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos.
The defendant engaged Chief Obianuju in a gun battle and he was shot on his left arm. Also, one of Obainuju’s police escort, Cpl. Chijioke Ngozi, and his driver, Peter Nweke, were shot dead, while three members of the kidnapping gang were shot dead by the police. Others escaped.
Haruna told the court that two rifles were recovered by the police from Festac Area Command, while the case was reported at Festac Division of the Area Command.
“Earlier the third defendant, Arinze, had surveyed and monitored the movement of the victim,” he said. The Police said that any time Obianuju was out to play games in the evening, he never went with his escorts.But on Aug. 27, 2017, the suspects never knew that their victim was with his escort.That was how they met their Waterloo,” the Police witness said.
Haruna told the court that in their investigations, they discovered that Arinze, who is into community service in his hometown, sold the riffles to Evans, which was used in carrying out the crime.
“It was discovered that Evans was the leader of the gang and he ordered the kidnap of the victim. That it was Evans that organised the firearms and ammunitions used for the operation,” Haruna said. He added that Evans made a confessional statement that he has been into crime for a long time. He has no other job, this is his means of livelihood,” he said. Haruna also said that in their discovery, the fourth defendant, sold AK47 riffle to Evans without knowing they were going to use it to kidnap the victim.
NAN reports that the defendants committed the offences on Aug. 27, 2013 at Third Ave., Festac, Town Lagos. According to the charges, Evans and his accomplices allegedly killed Mr Chijioke Ngozi and attempted to kill and kidnap Obianuju.
The charges also alleged that in 2008, Upong sold and transferred two AK47 rifles and 70 rounds of live ammunition to Evans. Justice Taiwo Solebo, who ordered accelerated hearing, adjourned the case until Feb. 6, 2019, for trial.
