30-year-old okada rider in police net for alleged kidnap

A 30-year-old Lagos based commercial motorcyclist, Mr. Uchenna Ugwu, had thought that mother luck had finally smiled at him when he conveyed two customers, Anieme and Ike on his bike to Ojota, Agric Bus Stop in Ikorodu, Lagos, two months ago. Uchenna was paid 500 naira as bike fare as against 400 naira which is the official price.


It was gathered that the same men approached Ugwu again almost at the same place to have them conveyed to Oshodi, but this time to a hotel, and they generously gave him N1000. The motorcyclist did not hesitate to give the men his mobile number when they demanded for it.

After a few days, Ugwu got another call from his customers who had demanded for some food items which should be taken to them at a particuar house located at Ishawo road in Ikorodu

The Okada man who carried out the order excitedly was also asked to do a similar thing the next day, but this time around went into Anieme and Ike’s room and was shocked at what he saw. Behold, a man was tied to a bed in the room, and Uchenna was warned never to disclose what he saw to anybody. When Anieme and Ike noticed the shock on my face, they threatened to kill my family if I told anyone what I saw. I believed they would do it because they knew where I lived. They had promised me to give me some money to rent a decent accommodation because I lived in an uncompleted building,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Umaru Manko, is yet to believe the story of Mr. Ugwu. Manko considers him a member of a gang that specialized in armed robbery and kidnapping until the investigation is concluded.

The police chief said, “A member of the staff of a first generation bank, Tunde Aliyu, was kidnapped by an armed gang last month. The case was reported at the Ikoyi Police Division by members of his family.

“Aliyu was returning from work when he was abducted at Gbagada. Some phone calls were made with Ugwu’s phone number to Aliyu’s family demanding a ransom of N5m. After the ransom was paid, Aliyu regained his freedom on Aug. 12.

“The DPO of Ikoyi Division, Mrs. Aishat Haruna, continued with the investigation and Ugwu was tracked through his phone number to his home at Itorogbo, Ikorodu. Unfortunately, the other members of the gang had fled with their own share of the loot. Ugwu himself was paid some money for his role in the kidnap. The sum of N280,000 was recovered from his house at the time of his arrest.

“The case was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja that same night Ugwu was apprehended. The victim (Aliyu) however, is yet to come to SARS to make any statement.”

Ugwu however denies the allegations, though he was unable to explain how the ransom demand was made with his cell-phone.

“I am not a kidnapper, I never planned with Anieme and Ike to kidnap Aliyu. I just knew them as my customers. The day after I bought noodles for them was a Sunday. They called and asked me to meet them at Agric bus stop, that they were about to travel but that they would call me as soon as they came back. I had to rush there; I was even asleep when they called.

“They had earlier promised me some money for running all their errands; they gave me N200,000. The police found this money in my house in addition to another N80,000 which was my own personal money. Unfortunately for me, Anieme and Ike have travelled. They are the only ones who can come and bail me out of this mess,” he said.