$1m my highest ransom, says Evans

“I was into auto spare parts importation but lost all my money, over N25 million, when customs seized my goods. From there, I relocated to South Africa, where I started peddling drugs. But along the line, my business partner shot me and passed me off as dead. I recuperated, returned to Nigeria and decided to start kidnapping rich men for ransom.”

These were the words of notorious kidnap lord, Evans, whose real name is Chukwudi Dumeme Onuamadike, and who was paraded yesterday at the Lagos Command Headquarters, Ikeja, by the police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood.

Also paraded were six of his alleged gang members: Felix Chinemerem, Nwosu Chikodi Chukwuma, Suoyo Paul (Sudo), Ikenna Emeka (Nwana), Uchechukwu Amadi and Ogechi Amadi.

According to Evans, he started his kidnapping escapade under notorious China, admitting to have been among the members who attempted to kidnap the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Vincent Obianodo.

He said after two of the gang members were killed in that operation and China also died, he started his own gang, adding that he has six men in Lagos, whom he directs to any part of the country to work.

They usually go in groups of three or four to execute any mission, adding that other recruits are done for particular operations and discharged once the job was over.

The suspect claimed he has never killed anyone, adding that most of those killed during operations were done by his gang members.

According to him, Urchman, Uche and Nnamdi were the ones who carried weapons and that one Chinedu and a certain Ehis brought contacts and names of victims to be kidnapped.

He claimed he has kidnapped about 10 people since he started his own gang in 2015, adding that Uyi Technical and Dan Odete, who brought N100 million and N50 million ransom respectively, were picked up under China’s reign though he got N10 million as his share.

“The highest amount I have collected was $1 million from Festac. I don’t know my net worth. I don’t have any money in the bank. I operate only one account (GTB). I collect dollars because it’s my choice. 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 for the job. 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 live in Canada.

“Most of our victims are targeted 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.

“I am feeling bad. People who are still into kidnapping should quit. They should learn from what has happened to me,” he said.

According to the police spokesman, five AK47, an AK 49 rifle, two double barrel long guns, two English pistols, 59 AK47 Magazines with ammunition, 1,272 9mm live AK47 ammunition and five number plates were recovered from the gang in the joint operation carried out by the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Lagos Police Command and Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU).