By CHIOMA IGBOKWE

It’s been eight months since heavily armed men pretending to be policemen abducted Mr. Basil Agha from his family compound at Umuofor, Ogberuru in Orlu local government area of Imo State.  Mr. Agha who owns a small scale oil and gas business in Lagos was picked by the gunmen on October 28, 2016 shortly after he arrived from Lagos, after which he paid a ransom of N2.6million to no avail.

Frustrated, family and friends of Mr. Agha are calling on the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim to send his special taskforce on kidnapping to their community and help secure the release of Mr Agha.

The kidnap

According to an eyewitness, Mr. Agha arrived in the evening and went round to greet his kinsmen. He was about driving out to visit his extended family members when three heavily-armed men forced their way into the compound and demanded to see him. He asked to know who they were, they showed him a police identity card pretended that they were from the State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, Owerri. They told him that there was a petition against him and asked him to join them to the police station.

Family members and guests who were in the compound tried to stop them but Mr. Agha stopped them and told them to call their family lawyer. Members of his family and community leaders immediately mobilised and proceeded to the police headquarters in Owerri only to be told that none of their men was detailed for such assignment. They combed all the police divisions and posts in and around the area without any trace of Mr. Agha.

It was at that point that it dawned on his family members that the three men who arrested him were actually kidnappers with fake police identity cards. The family immediately reported the matter at Orlu divisional police office and some policemen were deployed to investigate the abduction.

Police immediate investigation revealed that while the kidnappers were laying ambush for their target, some of the villagers even offered them drinks while they were making frantic calls to know the exact compound of their victim.  It was gathered that some persons saw when they drove out of the compound with their victim seated in the middle without suspecting foul play.

His son who is based in Lagos also engaged the services of policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Adeniji-Adele, Lagos to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of his father and they proceeded to Owerri.  However, after spending days in Owerri, the policemen from Federal SARS reportedly advised his son to negotiate with the kidnappers and get his father released first, before they will carry out their investigation and left for Lagos.

Negotiation and N2.6m ransom

Luckily, the kidnappers contacted the family and demanded N10million ransom. The family was able to negotiate and eventually paid N2.5million on November 10, 2016. The abductors further demanded an extra N100, 000.00, which they claimed was for his transport fare back to his home and it was paid.

Since then, the family has not seen Mr Agah. The abductors have also closed all communication line with the family.

Family sources said while this was going on, the victim’s son in Lagos was asked to come home (village) by his kinsmen but he refused for the fear of his safety and wondered why they were making such request when he had paid the ransom demanded by the kidnappers. He was suspicious as his uncles were all alive and in the village. His argument was that if there is any genuine need to see a family member, his uncles should stand in. He was suspecting that the invitation was a ploy by those behind the abduction of his father to also pick him up.

Family feud

While his release stretches further, the Agha family members are pointing fingers at one another.  Family members believed that with the style, which the kidnappers used to pick Agha, it must be an insider’s job. The allegation led one of the victim’s brothers to write a petition to the Police  Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja, Lagos, against his nephew, the victim’s son alleging that he wants to kill him and his family. He specifically highlighted the reason behind the threat to life to be that he was the one who allegedly arranged with kidnappers to kidnap his father.

Although police arrested Mr Agha’s son and interrogated him, they cautioned the family on the need to unite and pray for the safe return of their father and brother.

According to one of the family members based in the Lagos, the IGP’s intervention seems to be the only option left. “We had to report the matter to the Inspector General of Police since that is the only way cases are solved in this country. He has handed the case over to his special team who is investigating the matter. We are desperate to know if he is still alive,” the source said.

Police attempt at arresting kingpin

As soon as the team started investigating, they discovered information concerning one notorious kidnapper simply identified as Onyebuchi who has been terrorizing the eastern part of the country especially Owerri, Aba and Umuahia.

It was revealed that his method of operation is similar to that of the recently arrested Lagos kidnap kingpin, Evans. He is also on the wanted list of Imo and Abia State police commands.

The suspect hails from Ezinkwo- Ihioma village in Orlu, Imo State which happens to be the maternal home of the abducted Basil Agha.

Attempts to arrest him failed, as he was said to have mysteriously escaped when detectives who were on his trail invaded his house. They arrested his wife and took some vital documents which will help them in investigating the matter.

After detaining the wife for days, they released her with the condition that she should help police find her husband while they mount surveillance around the house and the village. It was gathered that since the invasion, Onyebuchi has not made any attempt to visit the house.

However sources in the village alleged that Onyebuchi had sneaked into the community several times but disguised as an old man. He is alleged to have continued to abduct several others despite the raid. “He comes and goes without any trace. He is known in the community and anytime he visits someone will disappear. We live in fear and pray every day that police will pick him up and restore security in the community,” the source pleaded.

It was gathered that the police after the failed attempt advised the family to co-operate with the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of Agha.

According to a police source, the detectives have suspended investigation on the matter till Mr. Basil Agha is released. “At this point, we have no lead and the main suspect is on the run. We only pray and hope that Mr Agha is still alive.”

Family keeps mum

Desperately awaiting Agha’s return, his family members declined to publicly express their worries for fear that they could be the next on the list of the kidnappers. His wife, who has since relocated to their village in Orlu, was overheard raising her voice from an inner room lamenting the fate of her husband and calling on his abductors to kindly release him to his family, dead or alive.

A family source who spoke with Saturday Sun said that they have lost contact with the abductors for several months. “They are no longer calling us or demanding money. We are scared that they might have killed him. We need to know if he is still alive, that is why we are calling on the Inspector General of Police to come to our rescue. This matter has torn the family apart and those who are based abroad are no longer interested in coming back home. Everyone is suspecting each other and believes that if the IGP can send his special team to help investigate this matter; we will know the fate of our father.”