The kidnappers, identified as Monday Odieto, Godspower Ovwigho and Stanley Efetobor, were said to have killed Nwike in a blind rage after his family members brought N5 million, instead of the N30 million they had demanded for.
They had also killed the two men that brought the ransom.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, said: “Their confession revealed that one Kelvin emerged leader of the gang after he successfully rescued their former leader, Rufus, from the hands of prison wardens.
“They further revealed that the sum of N30 million was agreed as ransom for the kidnap of Dr. Chudi Nwike on March, 19, 2013.
“But instead, the sum of N5 million was brought to the kidnappers by the family of the former deputy governor.
“The second in command of the kidnappers, Rufus, got angry and shot and killed the two men who brought the ransom and also killed the deputy governor.
“The kidnappers then called and told the wife of the victim to use the remaining balance to bury her husband.”
It was gathered that sequel to the tracking and arrest of one Monday Odieto, from Benin, Edo State, by the Divisional Police Officer of Ikoyi Division, SP Aisha Haruna, for his involvement in kidnapping of the wife of a sitting Supreme Court Judge, Justice Rhodes Vivour, and his confession during interrogation to be a member of a 30-man gang of deadly kidnappers who operate in the South South and South East axis of the country, Manko ordered that the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SP Abba Kyari, should go after the suspects.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday at police headquarters, Manko said: “After a long manhunt, Godspower was tracked and arrested at Ikorodu on April, 23, 2014 by Kyari and a team of policemen.
“Godspower was identified by Odieto to be a top ranking member of the gang.
“Also on April, 24, 2014, Efetobor, who is also a gang member, was equally arrested by SARS.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to be members of the gang that participated in the rescue operation of their former gang leader, Rufus, at Okere Road, Warri in Delta State, when officers of the Nigerian Prisons Service were taking him to court from prison yard in early March, 2013, where several officers of the Nigerian Prisons lost their lives.
“The kidnappers also confessed to have kidnapped the wife and daughter of Justice Rhodes Vivour and also kidnapped the former Deputy Governor of Anambra State on March, 19, 2013.”
According to Manko, Rufus died in a gun duel with policemen.
He added that there is a manhunt to get other fleeing members of the gang.
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