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Covid-19 lockdown forced me into kidnapping, says leader of gang that kidnapped wife of Appeal Court judge

Joy Anyim

Thirty-year-old Nsense Bassy, leader of a fierce kidnap for ransom gang that abducted the wife of an Appeal Court Judge, Ekwele Agube, in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital, has revealed that the lockdown, occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic led to his sojourn into crime.

The father of four, who also masterminded  the kidnap of a Cameronian and a big time spare parts dealer in Calabar, said he made N820,000, as his share of ransoms collected in all three operations.

Bassey and five other members of his gang – Edet Ene, Christopher Effaeyo, Etim Offiong, Bassey Effiong, and Luis Otubassy – were arrested with two locally made guns and 15 live cartridges.

Police investigations into the activities of the gang revealed that they had kidnapped Ekwele, their  last victim, on July 4, 2020, along Ministry Road, off NPA junction in Calabar, killing her aide.

The victim allegedly spent 14 days in the kidnapper’s den and was released only after a ransom of N6.8 million was paid to the kidnappers.

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Husband of the victim, Justice Agube, had contacted the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, informing him about the kidnap of his wife. The IGP  had subsequently detailed operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, to track down the suspects.

The detectives succeeded in rounding up the suspects through tracking of the phone numbers used in negotiating the ransom to Bassey, alias Lion.

Bassey, who hails from Akam Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State, said he started a business for his wife with part of his loot.

He said: “I am from a very poor background. My parents could not send me to school due to poverty. They later divorced and I was left to  roam the streets of my town, surviving on menial jobs. Five years ago, I met my wife and we became friends. I impregnated her and she ended up having four children for me.  

 “I was sustaining the family with the little I was earning from the menial jobs, but when the COVID-19 pandemic started and there was a lockdown, I had no job and my family was hungry. A friend known as Christian was the person who introduced me to kidnapping. At first I was not comfortable with the plan, but I later had to give in because there was no money to feed my children.

 “My first operation was at White Market area of Calabar and we kidnapped an Igbo man, selling motor spare parts. Six of us went for that operation and we had six pistols. We took the man to the waterside, and my other gang members took the man to our camp. Christian, negotiated the ransom and we were eventually paid N2 million; I got N300,000 as my own share. I bought clothes and food items for my children and I gave part of it to my brother, who has no job. I gave N50,000 to my wife to start a small business. 

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“We also kidnapped a Camaronian and snatched his car. Christian took the car away and sold it. Christian also negotiated the ransom and N2 million was eventually paid after two weeks. I got N270,000, as my share. I bought a pistol from one Christ, who sold locally made guns at Ikang area of the state. I used the gun for the third operation.

 “It was the third operation that implicated me. One Otubassy, a friend to Christian, told me that the woman we would kidnap was very rich and that if  we succeeded in kidnapping her, her husband or relatives would pay huge sum of money as  ransom.

 “The woman was kidnapped and Christian,  negotiated the initial N4.8 million ransom but made away with the money after it was paid. Other members of the gang were angry and when I called Christian to give us our share, he refused. He, however, made available the phone of the victim, from where I got the victim’s family phone numbers. I called and requested for another N2 million and which was paid to  me.

 “I got N350,000 as my share, I gave the informant N100,000, and others also got their share.  Few weeks later, I got a call from a pastor, who asked me to come to the church. I did not know it was rhe police that used him to get me. I got to the church, and was arrested  by the police.”

Twenty-five-year-old Otubassy, who acted as an informant for the gang, said he used to be a motorcycle operator. He alleged that  the Cross River State government’s ban on the operations of commercial motorcyclists in the state capital  led him to crime.

The father of one said, “Bassey linked me to the gang. I often used my motorcycle to carry the gang members around town to look for who to kidnap.”

Asked who he got to the the status of Ekwele, who he allegedly informed the gang to go after,   Otubassy said he thought she was a contractor.

 “I didn’t know that her husband was a judge; I thought the woman was a contractor.  I was the person, who pressurised other members of the gang to kidnap the woman and her aide was killed in the process. They told me the woman’s family paid N2 million ransom, and I got N70,000, as my share and I didn’t know that they got N6.8 million from the woman. “Now that i know the truth, I feel cheated that they gave me only N70,000 out of N6.8 million. I only needed the money to start another business and also take care of my wife and child.”

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