By Augustine Ehikioya
For their various roles in the kidnap of unsuspecting Nigerians in Akwa Ibom State, some suspects caught are cooling off their heels in detention.
They were tracked down and arrested by operatives of IGP’s Special Tactical Squad deployed to the State.
Some of the victims of the evil work of the suspects had been killed before the suspects were arrested, while other victims were released after ransom payments. While some other victims were rescued when the Squad trailed and stormed the location of the kidnappers.
The suspects spoke in separate exclusive interviews with Security Watch Africa in the State.
One of the suspects, Eddy Onukak, confessed to receiving N1.3 million from N27 million kidnap ransom paid for one of the victims, one Aniekan.
While the Aniekan was eventually released, another victim, Emmanuel Udoka, was not that lucky as he was shot while resisting the kidnap attempt on him.
Emmanuel Udoka eventually died from the gun shots before he was rushed to General Hospital.
Apart from using his red Camry car for the operations, the first suspect, Eddy Onukak, also brought two AK 47 rifles.
On the kidnap of Aniekan, he said “I gave them my Camry for them to kidnap Aniekan. I handed over the car to Bright, he was the one that drove the vehicle.”
Confirming that he received money from the kidnap ransom, he said “Yes, Bright gave me N1.3 million, that I should use N800,000 to buy him another car, then he gave me N500,000.
Asked the whereabout of Bright, who is still at large and played key roles in the kidnap operations, he said “I don’t know his whereabout.”
Another suspect, who tried to extort N3.2 million from the wife of the dead Emmanuel Udoka, who was shot while resisting kidnap, called the wife and pretended to be a militant with the name, General Simply.
Speaking with Security Watch Africa, he said, “Based on my selfish interest, I called the wife of Mr. Emmanuel and asked for N3.2 million.
“I knew the woman’s shop. I’m very close to them because I’m working in that hotel. So, I got the phone number from the salesgirl.
“I told her if she did not bring the money, she will see what will happen to her and that I am General Simply,” he said.
Another suspect arrested for acting as surveillance during their various operations, Augustine Sunday, confessed to his active participation.
He said “I’m from Imo State, I live in Oron. I went to buy smoke from one of my guys and as we were discussing, he told me that one guy there was from my place.
“He bought gin, which we drank and from there we started discussion on this kidnap issue. Then another person, Edet John Iquidong (aka) Actor, came also. After discussion on the kidnapping, they left,” he said.
He went on “So, my role in that was that I was was watching out for them and monitoring the man. They placed me as surveillance at the roadside, that I should call them whenever the man is driving.
“But the man rode on bike and I then called to inform them that the man is here. That was my role,” he concluded.
Another suspect, Aniete Akpan Uyo, provide his house for members of the gang that came from the Riverine area to sleep in the night before the operation.
He also picked them up from the waterside when they arrived for the operation.
He said “I’m a Marine Engineer. So, when these customers came, the person that I know said I should go and bring them from the waterside.
“They were four of them. I didn’t see guns, they were with bags. They told me that they will sleep and somebody will come and carry them early in the morning.
“I even told them that our house is a demolished old house and is a thatched house. It was after that day, I heard what happened,” he said.
Another suspect, Ndukabom Peter Udom, also narrated why he took part in kidnap operation.
According to him, his grandfather from his maternal home deceived him severally, which angered him.
He said “One of my grandfather from my maternal home transferred N1.2 million through my account. I told him I was not used to transferring up to N1 million through my account in a day.
“He said I should just transfer the money to him. I gave him N200,000 cash, I transferred N500,000 the first day and N500,000 the next day, without my commission.
“He came back again in May and collected N15,000 from my account. He said he would transfer the money to my account. But since then, he didn’t transfer the money to my account.
“In October, my son was sick and I took him to the hospital. So, I asked him to give me my money. He said he was going to transfer the money to me, severally, but didn’t do it,” he said.