June 21, 2010
Sources within the police headquarters in Abuja have told Saharareporters that Sam Chukwu, the Divisional Police Officer at Awkunanaw, Enugu, is in Abuja where he is facing questioning on his extensive involvement in kidnapping.
Sources within the police headquarters in Abuja have told Saharareporters that Sam Chukwu, the Divisional Police Officer at Awkunanaw, Enugu, is in Abuja where he is facing questioning on his extensive involvement in kidnapping.
However, some of the same sources said they doubted that Inspector-General Ogbonnaya Onovo would be able to make DPO Chukwu account for his crimes. Two of the sources said that Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is from the DPO’s area of Awgu, has always protected him. “I won’t be surprised if the senator is lobbying now to save DPO Chukwu’s job and stop his possible prosecution,” said a senior police source in Abuja. However the source added that, with the kind of publicity surrounding the case, it would be difficult this time to protect Sam Chukwu.
Said the source, “After you people reported on DPO Chukwu’s activities, the whole world is waiting to see what action the IG is going to take.”
Another source stated that “DPO Chukwu has a lot to explain,” adding that the IG has received definite reports “that Chukwu has a hand in kidnapping.” The same source praised the team handling the investigation of Lota Ezeudu’s case for their hard work and professionalism. “The chief investigator is making a lot of inroads,” he said.
Saharareporters has been inundated with tips from police officers and other citizens since we published a report that implicated the DPO, his son, and two sacked police officers close to him in the unsolved kidnap of Lotachukwu Ezeudu, a second year accountancy student at the University of Nigeria (Enugu campus).
Lotachukwu (Lota for short) was kidnapped on September 26, 2009 after he told his parents he was going to the DPO’s house to held one Desmond Chinwuba to examine a laptop that Desmond was reportedly interested in purchasing.
Following Lota’s kidnap, police sources revealed that Desmond Chinwuba and Ernest Okeke, both of them close to DPO Chukwu, were fired from the police for engaging in kidnapping for ransom. Desmond Chinwuba lived in the DPO’s house while Ernest Okeke was a frequent visitor.
A police source told Saharareporters that, on the heels of Lota Ezeudu’s kidnap, DPO Chukwu assisted Desmond to flee. “As I speak to you, Desmond’s whereabouts are still unknown,” a police source told us yesterday.
A judge in Enugu told Saharareporters that he was disturbed that Desmond Chinwuba and other members of a kidnap gang associated with the notorious DPO Chukwu were able to evade serious prosecution. “There were three court hearings on their outstanding armed robbery and kidnap case, but nobody showed up in court,” said the irate judge. “What I hear is that the witnesses were intimidated and threatened into hiding,” added the judge, who praised Saharareporters for exposing the involvement of some unscrupulous police officers and other big names in society in the scourge of kidnapping sweeping the south eastern states.
Another police source in Enugu disclosed that DPO Chukwu was implicated in the murder of two men in Ogui when he was the DPO in the area. In that case, Mr. U. Igwesi, a member of the House of Representatives, reported to Sam Chukwu that he was receiving trouble from the two young men. “DPO Chukwu then ordered his boys to murder the two men,” adding that then Governor Chimaroke Nnamani set up a judicial inquiry into the brutal murder but Chukwu’s powerful godfather, Senator Ekweremadu, stepped in to ensure that everything was swept under the carpet.
The same police source wondered why the court would allow Desmond Chinwuba and Ernest Okeke to jump bail.
A source said that Lota’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bona Ezeudu, have alerted police authorities in Enugu that DPO Chukwu was threatening their lives. The source added that Lota’s grandmother “has received text messages on her cell phone asking her to warn her son-in-law to release their boys who are in police custody before they would release Lota.” The source added that those texting Lota Ezeudu’s grandmother stated that the Ezeudus should hurry to ask the police to release their people because “Lota is sick.”
Saharareporters was unable to speak to Lota’s father, a well-known artist, but a female, who identified herself as “Lotachukwu’s aunt,” confirmed that the kidnapped youngster’s parents have received threatening messages.
Asked about the Ezeudus’ reaction to the threats, the family’s spokeswoman said, “They are focused on finding their son and they are determined not to rest until he is handed back to them.” The relative added that Lota’s parents believe that “evil thrives because those in the position to say or do something keep silent. If they allow themselves to be intimidated spiritually and physically, then other parents may soon fall victim to the same evil kidnappers.”
However, some of the same sources said they doubted that Inspector-General Ogbonnaya Onovo would be able to make DPO Chukwu account for his crimes. Two of the sources said that Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is from the DPO’s area of Awgu, has always protected him. “I won’t be surprised if the senator is lobbying now to save DPO Chukwu’s job and stop his possible prosecution,” said a senior police source in Abuja. However the source added that, with the kind of publicity surrounding the case, it would be difficult this time to protect Sam Chukwu.
Said the source, “After you people reported on DPO Chukwu’s activities, the whole world is waiting to see what action the IG is going to take.”
Another source stated that “DPO Chukwu has a lot to explain,” adding that the IG has received definite reports “that Chukwu has a hand in kidnapping.” The same source praised the team handling the investigation of Lota Ezeudu’s case for their hard work and professionalism. “The chief investigator is making a lot of inroads,” he said.
Saharareporters has been inundated with tips from police officers and other citizens since we published a report that implicated the DPO, his son, and two sacked police officers close to him in the unsolved kidnap of Lotachukwu Ezeudu, a second year accountancy student at the University of Nigeria (Enugu campus).
Lotachukwu (Lota for short) was kidnapped on September 26, 2009 after he told his parents he was going to the DPO’s house to held one Desmond Chinwuba to examine a laptop that Desmond was reportedly interested in purchasing.
Following Lota’s kidnap, police sources revealed that Desmond Chinwuba and Ernest Okeke, both of them close to DPO Chukwu, were fired from the police for engaging in kidnapping for ransom. Desmond Chinwuba lived in the DPO’s house while Ernest Okeke was a frequent visitor.
A police source told Saharareporters that, on the heels of Lota Ezeudu’s kidnap, DPO Chukwu assisted Desmond to flee. “As I speak to you, Desmond’s whereabouts are still unknown,” a police source told us yesterday.
A judge in Enugu told Saharareporters that he was disturbed that Desmond Chinwuba and other members of a kidnap gang associated with the notorious DPO Chukwu were able to evade serious prosecution. “There were three court hearings on their outstanding armed robbery and kidnap case, but nobody showed up in court,” said the irate judge. “What I hear is that the witnesses were intimidated and threatened into hiding,” added the judge, who praised Saharareporters for exposing the involvement of some unscrupulous police officers and other big names in society in the scourge of kidnapping sweeping the south eastern states.
Another police source in Enugu disclosed that DPO Chukwu was implicated in the murder of two men in Ogui when he was the DPO in the area. In that case, Mr. U. Igwesi, a member of the House of Representatives, reported to Sam Chukwu that he was receiving trouble from the two young men. “DPO Chukwu then ordered his boys to murder the two men,” adding that then Governor Chimaroke Nnamani set up a judicial inquiry into the brutal murder but Chukwu’s powerful godfather, Senator Ekweremadu, stepped in to ensure that everything was swept under the carpet.
The same police source wondered why the court would allow Desmond Chinwuba and Ernest Okeke to jump bail.
A source said that Lota’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bona Ezeudu, have alerted police authorities in Enugu that DPO Chukwu was threatening their lives. The source added that Lota’s grandmother “has received text messages on her cell phone asking her to warn her son-in-law to release their boys who are in police custody before they would release Lota.” The source added that those texting Lota Ezeudu’s grandmother stated that the Ezeudus should hurry to ask the police to release their people because “Lota is sick.”
Saharareporters was unable to speak to Lota’s father, a well-known artist, but a female, who identified herself as “Lotachukwu’s aunt,” confirmed that the kidnapped youngster’s parents have received threatening messages.
Asked about the Ezeudus’ reaction to the threats, the family’s spokeswoman said, “They are focused on finding their son and they are determined not to rest until he is handed back to them.” The relative added that Lota’s parents believe that “evil thrives because those in the position to say or do something keep silent. If they allow themselves to be intimidated spiritually and physically, then other parents may soon fall victim to the same evil kidnappers.”
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });