BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI
ABUJA— The hitherto most wanted kidnapper and alleged kingpin of an armed robbery gang that terrorised the South-South and South-East regions of the country, Kelvin Oniarah Eziegbe, was yesterday, docked before an Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Wuse Zone 2.

Kelvin, who was arraigned alongside two of his foremost gang members, Frank Azuekoh and Haruna Momoh, were said to have, among other criminal activities, masterminded the recent abduction of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief Mike Ozehkome, one Dr. Chudi Nwike, and Professor Hope Eghagha.

It will be recalled that a combined team of soldiers and operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, had on September 25, arrested the accused persons at an undisclosed hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The same day, a shootout had occurred between Kelvin’s ‘boys’ in his country home, Kokori, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, and soldiers, who arrested the Chief Priest (Ose Igba) of Kokori, accused of providing spiritual guidance and charms for Kelvin and his gang.

The DSS, in the First Information Report it entered before the court yesterday, maintained that kidnap activities of Kelvin, who was likened to the armed robbery linchpin, Lawrence Nomayanugbon Anini, fearfully revered as Ovigbo The Law in the defunct Bendel State, extended into the south-western parts of the country.

Accused

Specifically, the trio, who were marched into the court premises under tight security, were said to have between February 2, 2012, and September 24, 2013, at Kokori, Asaba, Warri, Port Harcourt and Benin, areas Delta, Rivers and Edo states, and along Benin-Abuja Road, Abuja FCT, “conspired with Rufus Ovwigho, Ese Oghenerojakor and others now at large to kidnap for ransom, the persons of Mike Ozekhome, Dr. Chudi Nwike, Professor Hope Eghagha and many others.”

The government prosecutor told the court that the accused persons ambushed and attacked a Federal Prisons vehicle conveying some members of their criminal gang, resulting in the death of some Police and prisons officers.

Charge

The charge preferred against them yesterday further read: “That you further conspired to unlawfully import prohibited firearms from Libya for the purpose of kidnapping, robbery and related criminal activities and you thereby committed the offence of:

“One (1), criminal intimidation punishable under Section 397 penal code, (2) kidnapping punishable under Section 274 penal code, (3) robbery punishable under Section 298 penal code, and (4) criminal conspiracy to commit felony punishable under Section 97 penal code.”

Meanwhile, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Consequently, counsel to the government, Mr. Clifford Osagie, applied for an adjournment, saying the DSS would need more time to conclude investigations into the chains of operations of the kidnap gang with a view to unmasking their sponsors.

Osagie said: “Your Worship, because of the nature of the case and need to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of the suspects with a view to unearthing those sponsoring them, it is imperative we plead for time to enable us conclude investigation and come out to prove our case.”

Besides, Osagie, urged the court to, in view of the nature of the matter, remand the accused persons in custody of the DSS pending conclusion of the investigation, a request that was granted by Chief Magistrate Usman Ahmed Shuaibu.

Bail application

Meanwhile, counsel to the accused persons, Mr. J. O. Eguere, expressed his intention to file a formal application for the temporary release of his clients on bail, pending the determination of the case against them.

The court refused an application by the defence counsel that the accused persons be remanded in Kuje, Suleja or Keffi prisons, even as Magistrate Shuaibu adjourned the case till November 27 for further hearing.