JTF Frees Kidnapped Couple …Nabs Fake Dollar Kingpin

The Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) has freed a couple after two months in pains in the hands of their captors at Umuoye Village, Etche Local Government of Rivers State.

The couple who gave their names as Ikoro and Amina Ezekwem were set free in the early hours of yesterday after a tip-off to the men of JTF Anti-Kidnapping unit.

Spokesman of the 2nd Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Major Aminu Illayasu said one of the kidnapping kingpin and suspect, Mr Leonard Okereafor was equally nabbed with fake dollars worth about N60 million.

Major Illayasu disclosed that there couple was made to sit in a shrine used by the suspect and others at large to hypnotise as well as compel victims to bring large sums of money in other, to negotiate their release.

Aside duping his victims, the Army spokesman also stated Mr Okereafor also uses the shrine located in Umuoye Village to carry out money laundering activities.

The couple, while narrating their ordeal in the hands of their captors, told newsmen that they ran into the kidnappers sometimes in May, while heading to Aba to buy burial materials for the late brother.

While on their way, their car broke down at Elele junction, where they met their captors who pretended to give them a lift. Unfortunately the Ezekwems never came back.

Their captors led them to an unknown village in Etche where they collected about N450,000, billed for buying of burial materials at Aba.

Mrs Ezekwem disclosed that aside collecting their money and detaining them inside a mud hut, the kidnappers led by one native doctor whose name was given as Linus also gave them concoction and oath.

Mrs Ezekwem claimed that after forcibly administering the oath on them they were hypnotized, and she was forced to sell all their landed property, including their household belongings.

However, one of the suspects caught by the JTF, Mr Okereafor denied the allegations, saying that he was framed up as he never had anything to do with the Ezekwems.

Though he acknowledged knowing Linus as a brother and native doctor, he claimed that he had on several occasions warned him to desist from his evil ways.

He told newsmen that he is a contractor with the National Integrated Power Project (NITP) and that he was arrested by men of the JTF while on site that fateful day.

Meanwhile, army spokesman has assured people of the state about the readiness of the Anti-Kidnappers unit to squash and curb criminal activities in the state.

Major Illayasu assured that the suspect would be handed over to he police once preliminary investigations are concluded.