Police have arrested four suspects who were planning to pose as operatives of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to kidnap a businessman for ₦150m ransom in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital
The suspects were paraded on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara identified the main mastermind of the kidnap plot as Emmanuel Akpayak.
He identified the other three other suspects as Echem Ovurizichi Weneka, Promise Udofia and Jeremiah Johnson Okon.
Ayilara said Akpayak plotted to kidnap of the would-be victim whom he owed over ₦12m.
He said the kidnap plot was to extort money from the businessman, and subsequently kill him to evade repayment of the debt.
The Police Commissioner said investigation revealed that Akpayak arranged for the kidnapping and killing of the would-be victim by engaging men arms and procuring EFCC vests/uniforms for the operation.
According to the police chief, a search was conducted at the Akpayak’s house, where four pairs of EFCC vests were recovered.
“Information at hand indicates that the suspect transacted the business of selling cars with the would-be victim and owed the victim about Twelve Million Naira (N12,000,000.00), in order to evade the repayment of debt, the suspect hired armed men to kidnap, extort the sum of N150 million and also kill the victim, thereafter, but the Operation was foiled. Suspects will have their day in court,” the CP said.
However, the Akpayak confirmed that the intending victim was his business associate and he owed him some money.
But he said but hired ” boys” who were issuing threats to him and refused his offers for negotiation of the debts.
He said this was why he resorted to getting an EFCC vest from an online vendor to give to his syndicate who posed as officials, to arrest the man and force him to bring ₦150m from the the alleged would-be victim, who according to him is rich and into internet fraud.
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 to kidnap a businessman for ₦150m ransom in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital){kind=link}
Glad they were busted