A suspected leader of a kidnap gang, Gift Ogbo, has told a riveting story how he formed his gang while serving an 11-year sentence in prison.
He was arrested by the Rivers State Police Command under the watch of CP Olatunji Disu.
Gift Ogbo (39), who is receiving treatment in the hospital from injuries sustained during a botched kidnap operation, disclosed that he formed his gang while serving his 11 years jail term for a murder case.
Ogbo, who said he has never entered a classroom in his life, recalled how he roamed his village in Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, during school hours, searching for opportunities to pilfer.
Due to his alleged villainous disposition, he was nick named ‘Akwa Ndele’, with parts of his body designed with bold scars.
Reports say on March 29, 2024, Ogbo, led three members of his gang on a kidnap mission in their operational tricycle, on Nkpolu road.
They reportedly intercepted a white Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4matic parked on the road with two occupants in the driver and passenger seats.
But in an act of bravery, the driver of the Mercedes, who attempted to reverse and escape, hit a wall.
He reportedly drove menacingly towards two suspected members of the gang that stood in front of the car ,and ran over them.
The two suspects were Ogbo and another member identified simply as Oyi-Baba, who were the gang’s muscle men. They were abandoned at the scene by their fleeing colleagues.
A mob was said to have descended on them and was at the verge of setting them ablaze when a Rapid Response Team that was contacted arrived the scene.
While Oyi-Baba reportedly died in the hospital, Ogbo , is still undergoing treatment, according to Police sources.
From his hospital bed, Ogbo said: “In 2012, I attacked one of my uncles during an argument over a parcel of land and he died in the process.
“I was arrested and charged for murder. While serving my 11 years hail term, I made friends with some inmates.
“Upon my release in December 2023, I returned to Ndele and rallied two old friends, Gift Kpanuku, aka Oyi-Baba and one Sunny, aka Onye-meme.
”We teamed up with two released members of the gang I formed in prison: Isaac and Ugo and immediately devised a plan to start a kidnap-for-ransom gang.
“We stole from residents of Ndele to raise money for arms. We raised 370,000 and used it to purchase two locally made shot guns in Akwa-Ibom from Smart, a gunrunner I also met in prison.
“We went on the first mission on March 13, 2024, at about 8.45 p.m. We snatched a red Mazda 323 from a local taxi driver to use as operational vehicle. On that same evening, we met a man and his wife who parked their car in front of a doctor’s office at Nkpolu. We ordered them out of their Volkswagen Touareg, pushed them into the back seat of the car and drove off with them, abandoning the stolen Mazda.
“But on the way to our hideout, there was traffic .While contemplating an alternative route, the woman jumped out of the car. In anger, I shot her husband in both thighs, and we sped off.
“We took him to a compound in Eleme, took his gold chain, gold wristwatch, his phone and wife’s phone which she left . We used his ATM card to withdraw N530, 000, via.”
* Media Report