A’Ibom police exhume kidnapped victim corpse, kill three hoodlums

Raymond Alphonsus

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command had stormed a kidnappers’ den in Mbiaso Community of Nsit Ibom Local Government Area and exhumed the corpse of a kidnapped victim, one Onyeka Ezewulu, buried in a shallow grave.

The police also killed three kidnappers, who engaged them in a gun battle.

It was learnt that the deceased, Onyeka Ezewulu, from Okija, Anambra State, was shot by the hoodlums after attempting to run away when they (kidnappers) stormed his residence along Idoro Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in order to kidnap him.

It was further gathered that the victim, who recently returned from China, was whisked away in the kidnappers’ Toyota Camry car but died a day after in the kidnappers’ hideout after losing so much blood from bullet wounds.

It was learnt that the kidnappers, despite knowing fully well that their victim had died, still went ahead to collect N2 million as ransom from his family.

The police, however, said that the kidnappers’ hideout and shallow grave were discovered following detailed investigation led by one CSP Julian Igbodu.

The Tactical Team, it was learnt, was accompanied by two pathologists from the police and the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, who conducted an autopsy on the deceased body, before the corpse was handed over to the family members for burial.

Meanwhile, a female member of the gang, identified as Deborah Sunday, who assisted the police to locate their hideout, told newsmen that three other gang members had on March 5, 2021 ambushed and kidnapped Ezewulu along Idoro Road.