By Charles Igbo
It was, unarguably, one of the most brazen kidnapping incidents in the history of what has now become a booming business in Nigeria.
Hope had been given up that anyone connected to the murderous gang, who befriended, ate, and drank with three Policemen guarding the Zoological Garden Benin, could ever be arrested. Nobody taught the case could be cracked.
But it has, over two years after, with the arrest of the gang’s leader. With the arrest came the revelation that five soldiers, on the trail of the gang were also killed, and, their military speed boat, capsized.
The vicious gang had gone for the younger brother of the Minister of Health.
Mr Andy Ehanire was the boss of the Ogba Zoological Garden, Benin City. At his place of work, he felt he was safe. Why not? Afterall, he was being guarded by three policemen, each, armed with an AK 47. He was at work on this day of September 24 when members of the gang drove in.
Nobody thought anything of the presence of the youngmen. Afterall, scores of people visit the Garden everday to eat, drink, relax, and generally have fun.
But these ones were different. They were friendly – indeed over friendly. And they were smart too. They had a job to do. Their target must be in the bag.
So, they befriended his police guards. They sat down with them. And bought drinks for all of them to make merry.
Policemen never eat with their caps on. So, they removed their caps, and joined in the merriment.
Big mistake.
It is dangerous for security officers to mix their work with merriment, especially, with strangers.
But these Policemen relaxed with strangers. That was when the bad boys drinking with them struck.
They brought out their guns, and shot the three Policemen to death. On the sound of a “statacco” of gun shots, Ehinare took to his heels. The boys went after him, caught him, took his rifle from him before he could even fire a shot. They then bundled him into their vehicle, an Audi 80, which they razed as soon as they transferred him into a speed boat. He was taken through Ologbo river, to Ogbogolo riverside. That was from where negotiations began.
He was released several days after a whopping N65 million was handed over to the abductors, who then disappeared into thin air, thereafter.
But recently, they ran out of luck. Their leader was arrested by men of the Anti Kidnapping Squad of the Edo State Police Command.
The 48-year old prime suspect, identified as Lucky Asaba Alebi, was arrested in his hideout in Sapele, Delta State.
But on his arrest, it was discovered that there was even no honour among these hoodlums.
The gang member who collected the money cheated his colleagues. He under- declared. Of the N65 million he collected, he declared 42 million naira, only as the amount he collected from the family.
Ehanire, their victim, had, initially, escaped from the camp where he was kept. But he could not find his way out of the creek. And so, was recaptured.
The three policemen killed in the Ogba Zoo premises were Inspector Henry Eguaoba, Sgt. Christopher Omoregie and Sgt Igbinoba Stephen.
The seven other gang members, earlier arrested, and now in Oko Correctional facility, are Precious Moliy, popular as “Ebilade”, Ayebi Posigha, Eddy Obiri, Gabriel Ofeyi, popular as “Gabilo”, Prester Kataboe Awala, Ebis Paymaster and Michael Ayighi.
