A member of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, Insp. Idowu Haruna, on Friday told the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, how Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, used a soldier as decoy in his criminal activities in the state.
Haruna, a policeman with 14- year experience, stated this at the ongoing trial of Evans and his co-defendant, Victor Aduba, on four- count charge of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
He started his testimony at 2:00 p.m.
While being led in evidence by Mr. Adebayo Haroun, the state Prosecutor, Haruna said: “The second defendant, Aduba, was a member of the Nigerian Army.
“By the time the first defendant was arrested, he mentioned the name of the second defendant in his confessional statement.
“He said whenever they had an operation, he will call Aduba and the army officer while wearing his full uniform, will seat at the front passenger seat of their vehicle so that they can pass through police road blocks with ease.”
Haruna said when the soldier was apprehended by army authorities, he faced disciplinary procedures at the Abalti Barracks, Yaba, Lagos, before he was handed over to the police for questioning.
The policeman also told the court about Evan’s criminal exploits.
“The first defendant has been into kidnapping and robbery for a very long time. He started in Edo State, when I worked there, we arrested about 10 members of his syndicate but he ran away to Lagos.
“Vincent Obianodo, the boss of Young Shall Grow Motors was his first victim in Lagos. During Obianodo’s attempted kidnap, members of his gang were killed but Evans ran away.
“Evans was in charge of providing the arms and ammunition for his gang.
“He led the operation for the kidnap of Mr. Sylvanus Ahamonu. He was the pilot of the vehicle. He is the sole negotiator of all the demanded ransom.
“He never allows other members of his gang to negotiate with victims’ families.
“He collected a total of $420,000 from Ahamonu’s family. $200,000 was personally received from Ahamonu’s family in two tranches.
“The remaining $20,000 was collected by Evans from the Ahamonu family for drinks for his boys.
“Aduba, the dismissed army officer confessed to being involved in the kidnap of James Udoji, Ahamonu and one Ucheson, a businessman in Alaba Market,” the witness added.