We only target people in flashy cars - Suspected kidnapper

Kidnapping suspect, Sunday James, arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, has said he and his gang only go after people in expensive cars.

James was arrested along with five others- Solomon Eze, aka Pastor, Ikechukwu Chedom, Obinna Egbugha and Emmanuel Iloakazi- on April 6, 2013.

James, 29, said he had been involved in four kidnap operations.

He said, "I am from Ebonyi State but I live in Coker, Orile, Lagos. I was introduced to the gang by Victor Emmanuel, who is the leader of the gang.

"In January, Emmanuel rented an apartment in Ajah area and in February, we started the business fully. Whenever we kidnap, we take the victim to the apartment. We have kidnapped four people so far.

"The first person we kidnapped paid N1m ransom and my share was N100,000. Emmanuel received N200,000 since he was the leader. The second victim paid N1m and we shared the money in the same manner."

The suspect however added that they later increased their ransoms for subsequent operations.

"We later started demanding N2m as ransom. After our last operation, we bought a jeep for N1.5m and the remaining money was shared equally. I got N70,000 and that was the last time I saw the gang," he said.

The suspect said the gang was much organised as every member had his own role to play.

According to him, a gang member had a duty of feeding and looking after victims while in captivity.

He said, "Emmanuel was the one responsible for spotting people that we will kidnap. He was the one who usually contacted the families of victims and he also collected the ransom.

"Pastor's job is to provide the guns that the gang will use. I only follow the gang but I don't carry guns."

When asked how the gang usually picked its victims, the suspect said anyone seen in a flashy car was a potential victim.

He said, "Emmanuel usually sits on the passenger side and anytime he spots someone in a flashy car, we trail the person and then grab him or her.

"We then dump the victim's vehicle somewhere before contacting the family. We have never kidnapped a prominent person."

Eze, who claimed to be a deliverance minister at a church in Ijesha bus stop, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, was also accused of killing a policeman.

PUNCH Metro learnt that some months ago, Eze shot the policeman who was on a stop and search exercise.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the policeman flagged down Eze's taxi cab and began questioning the driver. When he was through, the policeman was said to have turned his attention to Eze and asked him what the contents of his bag were.

To the surprise of the policeman, Eze was said to have bolted from the car, causing the policeman to give chase. In the process, Eze allegedly fired at him twice in the head. The policeman was said to have died on the way to the hospital.

The Commissioner of Police for the state command, Umar Manko, said three AK-47 rifles and 11 magazines loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

He said, "We received information that the gang, which relocated to Lagos from the East, had perfected plans to operate on the day we arrested them.

"Special Anti-Robbery Squad tracked Eze to Ajegunle area of Lagos. He confessed to several robberies and kidnappings in the state.

"He led detectives to arrest other members of his gang. They led detectives to their detention camps at Ikorodu and Ibeju-Lekki areas. The two houses have been searched and sealed off."

Manko added that an unregistered Nissan Sunny car was also recovered from the suspects.