The Rivers State Police Command has cracked a notorious gang that specialised in luring their victims with offers of land or prized items for sale, kill and dispossess them of valuables and abandon their bodies, .
A statement from the force named the suspects involved in the nefarious activities as Michael Nneji (24), Emmanuel Nneji (23), Chukwu Chibueze (18), Lekai Emadem Isaac (24) and Gift Prince (female of 23 years).
“The Police wishes to inform members of the public that on the 13th of April 2014 at about 0430 hours, articulated men of the Anti Kidnapping Unit (AKU), Port Harcourt smashed a gang of suspected Armed Robbers and Kidnappers. “The gang have made useful statements relating to the kidnap and murder of one Progress Bisi Diji ‘M’ aged 46, a senior staff of SPDC. A case initially reported at Mini-okoro Police station on the 7th of March, 2014 and the abduction and killing of one Mr Shola Olusehinde ‘M’ aged 36 years, a manger of Nuel Ojei contractors accompanied by his driver, one Ifeanyi Kara. The gang have led the police to the borrow pit where the decomposed bodies of the victims were discovered along Shell pipeline in Ebubu, Eleme LGA, Rivers State”, they said in a statement.
The police further explained that the group was led by Michael Nneji from Bekwarra town, Ogoja in Cross Rivers State, and carried out a complex web of operations to lure their unsuspecting victims into their net. “Their operation code named ‘Adventure’ with a maxim ‘Struggle: A way of survival’ involves first posing as a pretty woman on social media site, Badoo. “The two main Badoo accounts used by the gang have usernames, ‘Empress’ and ‘Cindy’. After engaging their victims in chats they entice them to their operational base, an uninhabited patch of land in Ebubu, Eleme LGA, Rivers state.
There they strip them of their valuables and sniff life out of them probably to cover their tracks.
“Such were the unfortunate circumstances that surrounded the death of one of their recent victims, Olasehinde. After being tricked on phone by the only female gang members and lover of Michael, Gift, he was led to the gang base by Chibueze from Obuofia, Awgwu LGA, Enugu who playacted the role of a house help. On getting there he was subdued by the gang and tied up by Isaac, a native of Khana LGA. The group proceeded to rip him of money and ATM details before strangling and leaving him dead in a borrow pit where the police recovered his already decomposed body. The other member of the gang, one Emmanuel who claims to be a cousin of Michael had monies extracted from victims paid into his account.
“The leader, Michael confessed that since May/June 2013, a total of seven or eight people have fallen victim. The gang also confessed to the killing of one Diji (46), a senior staff of SPDC in Port Harcourt. His body has also been discovered by the Police.
“Luck finally ran out on these evil doers when men of the Anti Kidnapping Unit responded to a tip off and rounded them up at Ogale, Eleme LGA, Rivers State”, the police said.
They thanked the general public for assistance with information and reminded them that security was a collective responsibility, adding that should any resident have any information or emergency, they should call their emergency lines on 08059107873, 08073777787, 08073777717, 08073777757.
In the wee hours of Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 0430 hours, men of the Anti Kidnapping Unit (AKU), Port Harcourt clamped down on a five man gang of serial kidnappers, armed robbers and murderers.
