Juliana Francis
Mr. Godwin Chinyere (46), alleged
arms and ammunition supplier of billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike
alias Evans, has finally been arrested after two years on the run.
Chinyere was arrested after two
years on the run by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special
Intelligence Response Team (IRT), headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police
(DCP), Abba Kyari.
It was gathered that the IRT
operatives, even when all trails to arrest Chinyere turned cold, refused to
sweep the case under the carpet and close the case file.
The suspect was believed to have
gone underground after news of Evans arrest spread like wildfire. Chinyere,
believing that the dust has settled, crawled out of his hideout this year. He
was shocked out of his wits when IRT operatives surrounded him like fleas over
a dog at Asaba, Delta State.
Chinyere is believed to be the major
arms and ammunition supplier of Evans. Police said that Chinyere supplied Evans
rocket launchers to carry out his alleged robbery and kidnap operations.
Evans after his arrest, confessed
that some of the rocket launchers and Ak-47 rifles, used by members of his gang
in blowing up bank security doors and vaults were supplied by Chinyere. Evans
told operatives that Chinyere, who since got a space on Police Wanted List, had
contacts with arms dealers in Chad and Niger Republic.
Chinyere said: “I sell locally made
double barrel guns for N10, 000 and single barrel guns for N6, 000. I also sell
locally made short guns for N10, 000. One of my customers, Samuel Nwakpa, who usually
comes from Kaduna State to buy guns from me, was the person that linked me to
big arms dealers in Chad and Niger Republic. They were the people that supplied
me the five Ak-47 rifles, which I sold to Evans. I met Evans when he came
to my village to treat his bullet wound; his native doctor, Eyinnaya Hearth,
linked him to me. I knew Evans was using the weapons for robbery and
kidnapping. He paid me N1.7million for the five Ak-47 rifles after they
were supplied.”
A police source said: “Operatives of
the IRT launched a manhunt for Chinyere after Evans disclosed roles he played
in his operations. Chinyere became elusive and went into hiding after he was
aware that IRT operatives were hunting for him. Chinyere recently came out of
hiding when he knew that Evans’ case has gone to court, thinking the hunt for
him was over. He felt IRT operatives, hunting for him had close his case file
and moved to other cases. He was tracked and trailed to Asaba Delta State,
where he had been hiding and arrested.
“The suspect confessed to have sold
five Ak-47 rifles to Evans. He said that he started selling and making firearms
in 1990 after he dropped out of primary school. He said that he had to drop out
of school because his parents could no longer afford his school fees.”
Chinyere, a native of Obingwa area
of Abia State, said that he learned to make locally made guns from his boss,
late Chinaka Nnawakwo. He said that Nnawakwo was killed by security operatives
for gunrunning.
Chinyere said: “I learned how to
make locally made guns from Abala village. It was Chinaka Nnawakwo that taught
me the job. I spent three years learning how to make guns before I started
making my own outfit. I have several customers who were gunrunners coming
to buy guns from me in large quantities. The rifles were usually concealed in
bags of fish. I took my commissions and gave the rest of the money to Samuel Nwapka,
who also supplied the rocket launchers to Evans. Before Evans was
arrested, I had already stopped the gunrunning business. I have turned a new
leaf. I went into hiding when Evans was arrested because I knew he was going to
mention my name to the police. I didn’t even know that the police were still hunting
for me. When I came out of hiding, I was arrested. I warned Evans to
stop kidnapping after I repented and turned a new leaf, but he
wouldn’t listen.”
Evans was arrested in June 2017, in
his Magodo Mansion, Lagos State, by the IRT operatives for series of alleged
kidnapping and robberies. He is currently standing trial at the Lagos State High
Courts of Igbosere and Ikeja.
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