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Shock and outrage greeted the abduction of a medical doctor and consultant ophthalmologist, Dr. Alex Atama-Pepple on July, 15, 2017.

Atama-Pepple, working with Braithwaite Memorial Hospital Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was abducted on July 15, 2017, while returning from Port Harcourt Golf Club, located at Old GRA, Rivers State.

This golf club is patronized by the rich and influential people in the state. The abduction of Atama-Pepple was alleged to have caused fear among members of the club.

The abduction of Atama-Pepple was made possible by Collins Nkue, a worker with Port Harcourt Golf Club. According to detectives, it was Nkue that invited the kidnappers to abduct Atama-Pepple. He also assisted the kidnappers to monitor the movement of the victim until his abduction.

Seven among the suspected were arrested at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in connection with the abduction. The gang was smashed almost five months after police launched a man-hunt for the members.

Those arrested are Alali Godday, aka Pompo, Igbalatee Lawson, alias, Agbami, Da-Obufia Isokoariari, aka J-boy, Samuel Monima Princewill, alias Gboko, Nobo NgiaNgia, Chibuzor Anudo, aka Dada, Victor Frank, Victor Anoro and Samuel. 

The suspects were arrested by detectives attached to the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Abba Kyari.

The police said: “Collins Nkue has been working in that golf club for over six years as a driver. He is the informant that brought the kidnapping job to the other suspects. He was also the person who monitored the movement of the victim until his eventual abduction.”

The police further disclosed: “On the day of the abduction, Nkue sent the doctor’s vehicle’s plate number, brand of vehicle and colour to the kidnappers. He also sent the colour of the victim’s fez-cap. He alerted the gang when the doctor was leaving the club. They trailed him to a store at Ogbunabali area of Port-Harcourt, where he stopped to do some shopping.   

“A member of the gang, Da-Obufia Isokoariari, aka J-Boy, armed with an Ak-47 rifle on that fateful day, wore a face mask.  Isokoariari was the first person that jumped down from their car and attempted to attack the doctor. He, however, fell into a gutter. Another member, Alali Godday, aka Pompo, immediately came down with his Ak-47 rifle and shot twice into the air to create fear. The leader of the gang, Igbalatee Lawson, alias Agbami, who was also masked, came down with his own rifle. They kidnapped the doctor and dragged him into their waiting Toyota Spider saloon car.”

The gang members blindfolded the doctor. They drove to Okwele Waterside in Diobu-Mile 1 area of Port Harcourt, where they had a waiting speed boat. The boat was manned by Samuel Monima Princewill, aka Gboko and Nobo NgiaNgia. 

Atama-Pepple was taken into a creek in Buguma Town and held for nine days in the creek. The creek belongs to Agbami. The gang demanded for N50million ransom.

On July 20, 2017, around 9:pm, Agbami and three other members of his gang, including Chibuzor Anudo, alias Dada, went to Emenike Street at Mile 1, Diobu and collected a ransom of N8million in a carton. The money was paid by the younger brother of the doctor. 

Immediately they collected the N8million ransom, the gang looked for a hotel and lodged. They later shared the money in the hotel, but still refused to release Atama-Pepple.

A new round of negotiations was established between Atama-Pepple’s relatives and the second in command of the group, Godday. The gang demanded for an additional ransom of N1.5million, which was paid before the doctor was released.

The police said: “When we were deployed by the IGP to commence investigation into the incident, we discovered that the kidnappers spent a month planning the operation. They all took an oath at a native doctor’s house at Elehi Beach, Mile 1. The name of charm is ‘Ogoni wonders.’ They swore that no one would betray the gang. The native doctor assured them that after they used the charms, no policeman would ever be able to arrest them.”

Relating why he went into crime, Agbami 28, confessed that the destruction of his goods by some naval officers pushed him into kidnapping.

Agbami, who graduated in 2008, explained that he started playing football after graduation. At a point, he thought he would make a career in football, but he later changed his mind and walked away from that dream.

After abandoning his budding football career, he went into commercial motorcycle riding and from there, into oil bunkering.

He said: “When I made enough money, I set up my own illegal refinery, where I refined crude oil into diesel.  After my first operation, I was about supplying over 350 drums of refined AGO to some of my customers when naval men accosted me. They demanded for N250, 000 bribe. When I couldn’t give them, they set my product on fire.  The boat, which I used in conveying the products wasn’t mine. After that destruction, I ran into debts. People I owed started disturbing me.

“All the AK-47 rifles that policemen found with me, belonged to a guy known as Iminabo Isokra, who was a militant and politician. He was beheaded during the last election crisis. Before he was killed, I was with him when he buried his guns in the forest.  I heard he was killed by Kalampo, Sunny and Adaya, who were all supporters of All Progressives Congress (OPC).  

“I ran out of the community during that election. When I came back, I didn’t know who told those APC boys that I was back; they came looking for me. They shot indiscriminately when they got to my house. One of my uncles was shot.  I felt embarrassed; I headed to the spot where Iminabo buried his rifles and pistol. I dug them out.  After a while, those boys came to look for me again. When they came, we exchanged gun fire. One of them was killed, while the rest escaped.  When the town became settled, we burnt the body.”

Agbami explained that it was Godday, who called and initiated him into kidnapping. Goddady told him that he would send Isokoariari to Agbami, so that they would both look for a victim to abduct. Godday told him that kidnapping was the easiest way of raking in huge sums of money without sweating too much.

Agbami noted: “They told me that the man who brought the job, has a brother, who is an herbalist. This herbalist would clear the way for us spiritually and physically. Godday said that he had arranged two Ak-47 rifles for the operation. He also asked me to support them with more rifles. I met Godday in Port Harcourt, and after our conversation, we and four others, including Collins who brought the job, went to the herbalist’s house in Port Harcourt.

“We took an oath where the herbalist assured us that we would be successful.  Godday was the person who brought the vehicle for the operation. We were four that went for that operation. We succeeded in kidnapping the man.  I got N1million in that operation, J-Boy got N700, 000, Godday N1million, Tina, who also made a call during the negotiation collected N450, 000. Usher, who was also at the bush collected N150, 000.  I gave Nobo N250, 000 and Obereye N150, 000. We gave Collins and herbalist N800, 000 because they are brothers.  We gave seven other people, who came to the camp N50, 000 each. On our way to the camp, where we would release the victim, my boat rider, Nobo’s assistant and I were arrested by men of the marine police.  They found a locally made gun on us and our share of the ransom. We were taken into custody. I didn’t confess to the marine police that the money was proceed of kidnapping. I also didn’t know that Godday and J-Boy went back to camp and started a new negotiation with the victim’s family.”

Isokoariari 24, fondly called J-Boy by his gang members, said his world crumpled after his father died. He had to drop out of school. After dropping out of school, he tried his hands on fashion designing, then modelling.

 Isokoariari said: “I couldn’t go to the university after my father died. My mother was very sick; she had been bedridden for close to six years now. My problem started late last year when one of my friends, Godday, stole a car and gave it to me to keep. When he was arrested by the police, he brought policemen to my house in order to retrieve the car. Police took me along with the car. We were both charged to court. We were granted bail, but Godday first perfected his bail condition. His family had money. I ended up spending six months in prison. I was released on March 30, 2017.”

When he was released, his family members felt that a change of scene was necessary. They convinced him to relocate to Imo State, he accepted. On July 2017, Isokoariari moved to Imo State.

He later returned to Port Harcourt, but refused to disclose why he came back. It was after his return that he met Godday (Pompo), who sold the idea of kidnapping people to him.

Isokoariari said: “Godday made it clear to me that all he wanted from me was to connect him to Agbami, my brother. He said he knew Agbami had a speed boat, a camp in the creek and some rifles. He said that if Agnami gave us his support, the operation would be successful.  He told me that our target was very rich, and that the rich man would pay us N4million.  I managed to convince Agbami about the operation. We had a meeting with Godday; we also met Collins, who took us to the place where we would find our target. We also met Collin’s bother, who is an herbalist. The herbalist made us to take an oath not to betray one another.”

A week after the gang members took the oath, they abducted Atama-Pepple. They ferried him straight him to Agbami’s camp, which was inside the creek.

Isokoariari recounted: “I took the man’s ATM card and his Personal Identification Number (PIN). Godday and I went to a boutique at Rumuola Port Harcourt and bought clothes worth over N50, 000. We also called one of Godday boys to go to Education Bus Stop at Mile 1. Godday called one of his boys, Starboy and gave him the ATM code. Godday asked him to withdraw all the money in the account. Starboy returned with N70, 000. Godday gave me N10, 000. He told me that he would take N10, 000 and send the rest to the camp for the feeding of the man. 

Isokoariari said: “I don’t know if he gave the money to Agbami because I didn’t go back to the creek until I was called and informed that the ransom has been paid.  Agbaimi called and asked me to meet him in a hotel. When I got there, I saw several other gang members. I was given N700, 000 as my share. I bought a television set with part of the money. We collected an additional N1.5million from the man’s family because Agbaimi short paid us. When we heard that he had been arrested, Godday and I quickly put up a call to the man’s relative and asked them to pay us an additional money so that we would release the man.

“We threatened his brother and lied to him that those in the camp with his brother, were different from those that he paid the N8million ransom. The brother must have got sacred because we called them with a different number.  I know I have committed a crime, especially since this is not my first time. But my happiness is that I have given my life to Christ.  Ratty and Engineer brought the two guns we used for the operation.  Ratty didn’t follow us to the operation.”  

Another suspect, Chibuzor Amobi, a taxi driver, claimed that Godday tricked him into crime. He said that he got to know Godday at his park at Education bus stop, along Ikwere road, where he also sells transport union tickets.

Amobi said: “There was a day I went to that bus stop and Starboy, who is one of Godday’s boys called and said I should come. He said that he wanted me to take his boss somewhere. I took Godday to his destination, and we exchanged phone numbers. He promised to call me.  Few days later, Godday called me; he said that he wanted me to take him to Buguma. He took N10, 000 from me and then called again, asking me to come to Buguma to take him back to Port Harcourt. On the day the doctor was kidnapped, he called me to come for my money, he then deceived and took me to the kidnap operation. He also used my phone number to demand additional ransom from the doctor’s family.  I was the first person that was arrested by the police.”