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The Ondo State police have arrested five persons in connection with the kidnap of Mafe Ibrahim, the mother of Jimoh Ibrahim. According to an assistant commissioner of police who prefers anonymity, the suspects were arrested in the environs of Igbotako and are helping the police in their investigations. The police officer told NEXT that the kidnap was not politically motivated.

The state police command had recently announced that the case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

Playing politics with the kidnap

While the PDP, Mr Ibrahim’s party alleged that the ruling Labour Party was behind the abduction, the state government advised Mr Ibrahim and his party men to look within themselves for the kidnappers.

The state government through the commissioner for information, Ranti Akerele, accused Mr Ibrahim of “playing politics” with the kidnap of his mother.

The commissioner faulted Mr Ibrahim’s account of the kidnap saying, “Ibrahim presented the case as if the kidnap was masterminded and executed by the state government, hence his demand for the declaration for a state of emergency in the state.” Mr Akerele added, “the security agencies that have already been drafted to effect the release of this woman should look beyond the ordinary and search the confines of Jimoh Ibrahim’s household.

“They should look among his political associates who seem to be rejoicing at the sad development and his myriad of business associates.

“It is the height of immorality for anybody to think of scoring cheap political goals with the kidnap of a 65-year-old woman.

“If a beneficiary of the kindness and love of one earlier victim could organise and mastermind the kidnap of his benefactor, who says desperate political rookies cannot plan and execute the kidnap of a poor old woman?” He asked.

The commissioner also noted that the act could be carried out by the PDP, “in order to create a band of phantom stakeholders whose only tangible solution to the incident is to call for a state of emergency in Ondo State.” He said: “With all the powers at the disposal of the peace-loving government of Ondo State, issues of security have been pursued with unprecedented focus since April 2009. Such that in all the reported cases of kidnap, not only have the victims returned to safety but the culprits have been apprehended to the eternal shame of those who cry wolf when there are none.”

They wanted Jimoh out

But the PDP in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, alleged that the Labour Party carried out the act, “to discourage Jimoh Ibrahim from further participating in politics.” Mr Fadaka said, “Our attention has been drawn to the kidnap of Madam Ibrahim, the mother of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim who is a solid pillar of our Party both in this state and nationally. It will be recalled that our state has been going through lots of security challenges in recent weeks and this is occasioned by the garrulity of Labour Party leaders and rank and file whose concept of politicking is to stand the laws on its head and use under the table tactics to secure victory. Their approach so far has led to the death of Emmanuel Adebayo in Ose and scores of brutalised and wounded people across the state. Their latest action is the kidnap of this old woman, this development is not only evil, but sadistic, comprehensively wicked and unacceptable.

“In their imagination it is the needed trump card that is needed to disorientate, disorganise and discourage Jimoh Ibrahim in his quest to join others in leading the party to victory in the forthcoming elections in Ondo State. But we want to assure them that their calculation is not only shallow but will fail to achieve their desired goal.” Mr Fadaka called on the law enforcement agents to treat the matter with urgency, adding that the culprits and their sponsors should be brought to book.

Mr Ibrahim’s mother was kidnapped from her Igbotako home on Sunday evening by four unidentified gunmen. It was gathered that the gunmen arrived at the house, a one-storey building located in the outskirts of the town around 8pm, and pretended to be customers who wanted to buy some locally made mats which the woman was selling.

Aba (Abia) — A High Court in Aba, Abia, yesterday, sentenced a 30-year-old man to death by hanging for kidnapping and murdering his victim...

Loveday Ahuchaogu, the kidnapper from Umuawa in Isiala-Ngwa Local Government Area of the state and others still at large, were facing a four-count charge for kidnapping and murdering Mr. Francis Ajayi on July 28, 2008, at Umudike in Ikwuano, near Umuahia.

Ahuchaogu was charged with kidnapping, murder, conspiracy and robbery.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, in her judgment, ruled that the accused was found guilty of the offences as charged and gave Ahuchaogu seven years imprisonment with hard labour for conspiracy and 10 years with hard labour for kidnapping.

The accused also got 10 years with hard labour for robbery and was condemned to death by hanging for murder...

Mrs. Ngozi Obioma, Director of Legal Services in charge of the Public Prosecution Division of Abia State Ministry of Justice, Aba Out-station, who is the lead prosecuting counsel, told newsmen shortly after the court sitting that it was a fair judgment.

Obioma said that Ahuchaogu’s defence was flimsy and frivolous against the weight and gravity of evidence against him as adduced by the prosecution.

She said the evidence against the accused was overwhelming as he was caught red-handed in the banking hall on camera while trying to cash the third tranche of the ransom money.

She said Ahuchaogu, who admitted collecting two other tranches of the ransom money, was also implicated through the SIM card of the deceased that was tendered as exhibit.

“It is my belief that justice is seen to have been done today, everybody in Abia, particularly Aba and environs, will agree that the menace of kidnapping has been on the increase, creating fears on residents.

“It will also serve as a deterrent to others who may be nursing the idea of embarking on such dangerous escapade,” Obioma said.

Mr I.U. Nwokocha, Counsel to the accused, however, pleaded for leniency for his client.

Why would Goodluck Jonathan even approve this .It is almost like awarding the head of PHCN a national award .What do you think ?

Ogbonaya Onovo, the Inspector General of Police, was among 186 Nigerians from different strata of the society who were honoured with the 2009 National Award by President Goodluck Jonathan.

But Mr. Onovo, who said he was quite happy at the honour done him, was not impressed with the question from NEXT about whether he thought it was justified for him to get such an award in the face of the rising crime and insecurity in the country.

The police boss, who refused to answer the query, said it was a stupid question meant to provoke him, rather than one “borne out of genuine journalistic curiosity.” He said members of the public should decide if he deserved the award or not.

“Answer it for yourself,” he said. “You are a member of the public. If I don’t deserve it, say so.

"I can’t answer stupid questions, because insecurity is all over the world. There is no society where there is no crime. You can’t tell me of any society, if you know one, tell me. So, I think it is not a proper question and I will not answer it..

“You have come to provoke. You haven’t come to ask questions as journalists who want to know and who want to disseminate information,” adding, “Your question had spoilt my happy mood.”

However, the questions that so infuriated the usually amiable Mr. Onovo were the sort that reporters had asked all the other awardees.

The 186 recipients included Mike Akhigbe; Aloysius Katsina-Alu; and Joseph Wayas, who received the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger,(GCON).

Others were the chief of staff to the president, Mike Oghiadomhe; the head of service of the federation, Stephen Oronsaye; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Niki Tobi; the emir of Gwandu, Mohammadu Ilyasu Bashar; the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi; Ghali Umar Na’Abba; and Patricia Etteh, who all received the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) award.

Critical observations

Speaking at the four-hour ceremony, which was attended by families and well wishers of the awardees, Mr Jonathan said overcoming the challenges facing the country can only be achieved with the collective dedication and participation of all patriotic Nigerians.

“We must make honour-inspiring acts part of our national culture. The times call for men and women who are willing to live above primordial loyalties and commit their all to the general good,” he said.

“By reason of your decoration today, you have become national ambassadors of hope and agents of change. You have an abiding duty to this generation of Nigerians and our common posterity to always live up to the high standards to which you will be held,” he told the recipients.

Noting that the national honours are part of Nigeria’s national heritage which must be preserved, Mr. Jonathan promised that his administration will work to “raise the bar” so as to challenge Nigerians to strive harder for greater excellence in all fields of human endeavour.

The award had however come under criticisms, and a number of people have wondered if some recipients had not bought the awards, considering their antecedents.

Mr. Jonathan said at the occasion that the federal government noted the critical observations and will put such observations to good use in strengthening the prestige and integrity of the awards.

The Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. The awards were instituted by the National Honours Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Republic, to honour people who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation.

Predators of the press

Mr. Onovo had undoubtedly led in the search and release of the four journalists who were kidnapped in the south-eastern part of the country recently, and for which the police was widely commended but also vilified for allowing kidnapping to thrive in the country.

Indeed, Mr. Onovo, who received the honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), was on May 2010, listed as one of the “40 predators of the press in the world” by the international rights group, Reporters without Borders, during its World Press Day celebration.

According to the group, the names on the list are “powerful, dangerous, violent, and above the law,” thus the nomenclature, “Predators of Press Freedom.”

The group had further blamed the Nigeria Police Force, led by Mr. Onovo, for making the country “one of the world’s most violent countries for journalists.”

Naija don dey hard o ! Even Oil Company staff don dey kidnap !.

Omotayo Mobolaji Johnson, a geologist and staff of Chevron PLC has been arrested in connection with the attempt to kidnap a bank executive at Ikoyi, Lagos.

Two middle-aged suspects, Tommy Ebikeme and Edward Anigbhoro were also arrested during the June 1st kidnaping which the police said was masterminded by Mr. Johnson who allegedly used a pseudo name ‘Olumide.’ He was allegedly assisted by a woman called Anita to recruit both Mr. Ebikeme and Mr. Anighboro who are militants from the Niger Delta, to carry out the kidnap.

Their luck ran out when the police got a tip off and arrested them when they were about to kidnap their victim at Ikoyi.

The Lagos State commissioner of police, Marvel Akpoyibo while parading the suspects at the state command yesterday said the command’s intelligence -led policing strategy led to the arrest of the suspect.

“Events that led to the arrest of the suspects started on June 1st, 2010, when the command’s intelligence Unit intercepted information that a group of persons had perfected plans to kidnap a high profile target in Lagos. Members of the gang recruited from the Niger delta of Nigeria were said to have intended to kidnap the target victim from his office in Lagos island and whisk him away to Ibadan, where Omotayo Mobolaji Johnson had a farm at the outskirt of the town where the victim was to be taken to, after which a demand for ransom will be made.” He said, “Acting on the strength of the information, intelligent and undercover operatives were deployed in and around the office and premises of the target victim for high level surveillance mission, the efforts of the police yielded positive result when hours later, operatives were able to effect the arrest of three suspects connected to the plot.”

Mr. Akpoyibo added that preliminary investigation shows that the kidnap was masterminded by Mr. Johnson.

“His wife works in one of the companies owned by the father of the target victim. The suspect worked with one Anita now at large. Mr. Johnson owns a four star hotel and other investment in Ibadan. He promised the other suspects a cash reward of ten million naira from a windfall of fifty million naira expected to be made from the illicit deal if the victim was taken to Ibadan. Some substances recovered from the suspects include sleep inducing drugs, syringes which they had intended to inject the victim with the substances Halothane and Velum to facilitate his losing consciousness before moving him to Ibadan.” Mr. Akpoyibo said.

Mr. Johnson however declined to comment on his involvement in the crime. He said “I will not say anything until my lawyer is here.” Mr. Ebikeme however confessed to the crime. He indicted Mr. Johnson saying he was the one who recruited them and drove them to the scene of the botched kidnap.

The oil company, Chevron could not be reached as at press time for its comment.