ONOCHIE ANIBEZE, SATURDAY EDITOR

About 20 minutes after Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans was arrested last Saturday, Ifeanyi Okoli, our crime reporter called me to break the good news. Few minutes later I spoke with crack police investigator ACP, Abba Kyari whose team did the great job. We were all elated. I congratulated him for a job well done and he too congratulated Vanguard Newspapers for the role we played. Force PRO, Moshood Jimoh was also to commend Vanguard during the week on Channels Television.

Evans

The prelude to the end of Evans as a kidnap kingpin could be said to have started with our publication on April 22, capturing his exploits – his operations and huge sums of money he has collected as ransom. Some were paid in dollars. Evans had raked in millions of dollars from kidnapping. Our Crime Editor Emma Nnadozie anchored the story. Our story turned a lead to some members of his gang who didn’t know Evans was collecting that much from victims. Evans was very smart and Abba Kyari alluded to that while we were celebrating his arrest.

The team that went to kidnap their preys was always different from the team that kept them in their hideouts. The team that collected ransom was also different. They didn’t know each other. He communicated with each group with different telephone numbers. He didn’t take calls as he always switched off after contacting his members. Evans, in many cases, lead the team that did the kidnapping. And when on April 22 Saturday Vanguard published the huge sums he was collecting acrimony developed among his gang. This led to the escape of one of his victims and the police discovered their Igando hideout in Lagos. Many other things followed and last Saturday the Abba Kyari team nabbed the most wanted criminal in Nigeria. This goes to prove the HARD FACT that no bad thing lasts.

The stories of Evans have been most revealing and Nigerians are craving for more. We serve them today and hope to continue. We went to his village in Nnewi in Anambra State to talk to his parents. We searched for some of his victims and their story will amaze you. We spoke with Evans himself and what he said is a MUST READ. We have pictures of his houses and a story on his lifestyle. His wife called our Crime Editor from Ghana yesterday and cried while telling her story. She said she did not know that her husband was into crime and suggested that his wealth should be sold off and given to his victims. She said she called Vanguard because it was the paper that gave more details. We have her pathetic story and more. It is a package meant to wow you in our usual refreshingly different manner. Ifeanyi Okoli interviewed Evans and has been with the police before and after the big arrest. Emma Nnadozie spent some time with some of the victims of Evans, Vincent Ujumadu got his father to speak in Nnewi. Your weekend is made here. Enjoy it.