Evans moved to Abuja as IGP orders policemen to keep mum

…suspect was on Thursday first flight to Abuja

Many Nigerians literary went berserk when they woke up yesterday morning and heard that the suspected Nigerian billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudidumeme Onuamadike 36, aka Evans, has flown police nest.

The news, which the Nigeria Police Force swiftly denied and described as a falsehood from the pit of hell, had travelled like wildfire.

Nigerians took to social, expressing their pent up feelings over the alleged latest development in the Evans saga that had captured the world for almost a month now.

While some expressed worry, others who are cynics, said they had been expecting such a development for long, stressing that the police couldn’t be trusted.

Controversy however, has surrounded the present location of Evans. Policemen seemed not to agree on his Evans present whereabouts. Some said he was still being held in Lagos, others said he was moved to Abuja last Sunday.

Some security sources disclosed to our correspondent, that Evans is still in Lagos State Police Command custody, under the watchful and vigilant eyes of operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The sources further disclosed that although Evans had not been moved for now, he would soon be moved, because he had been assisting investigators with information and would naturally guide them to necessary areas as investigations progress.

The source said: “It’s no big deal; Evans can be moved at any time, in fact, soon as investigations continue. He didn’t disappear or vanished from police detention. Remember that when police needed to confirm and investigate his detention facilities in Lagos, he was taken out from custody in order to guide policemen to the scene. That is part of investigation. It’s a normal procedure. He’s going to be moved to different places as investigations progress.”

According to another source, the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, some days ago, left a standing order that nobody, especially journalists should be allowed to have access to Evans ever again.

This directive came after a popular television station interviewed Evans on issues that had to do with his hiring a lawyer and the suspect denied it, stressing, “I didn’t engage any lawyer.”

This is also to curtail the false stories circulating on social media about Evans.

The source added: “The IGP said that anyone who came asking for Evans should be told that he had been moved, but if the person persists, he or she should be detained.”

Another source said: “Evans is with us, the story that he vanished is misleading and false. Investigations continue and IGP has directed that nobody should answer any further questions on Evans. Investigations on Evans and his gang members continue. I’m sure the media will be informed in good time when investigations are concluded and case is going to court, so that they can cover Evans arraignment.”

The sources that claimed Evans is in Abuja noted: “He was moved last Sunday. He is at IRT’s office, at Garki, Abuja. He cannot vanish from police cell. ”

A very reliable source, however, revealed that Evans had been moved out of Lagos cell, to Abuja, IRT’s office since Thursday.

He added: “He was accompanied by five policemen. They went in two tinted vehicles to airport. They took the first flight to Abuja. He was handed over to IRT operatives.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Abba Kyari, who is in charge of IRT and heading the investigation, peeved by the report in a national daily that Evans vanished from police cell, took to his Facebook Wall.

He said: “Friends, I have received over a thousand calls this morning. Please disregard the fake news from a major newspaper today that the most notorious kidnapper in the history of Nigeria, Evans, who is in our custody, has vanished. It’s a big lie. In accordance with the 90 days remand order from a federal high court, investigations covering three countries are in progress. It’s a false headline; we can never joke with security of Nigerian.”

Reacting to the alleged disappearance of Evans, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Jimoh Moshood said: “Evans is intact in Police Custody, investigation into all the crimes he has committed which includes several kidnappings; armed robbery and murder are ongoing. The Police have made significant progress in the investigations of these crimes. The public should disregard and discountenance all media reports in the social and print media that he has vanished or released and all criminal charges against him dropped as untrue and absolute falsehood. Evans is in Police custody and would be arraigned in court along with other members of his gang on completion of investigation.”