There was wild jubilation in Owerri, Imo State, Thursday, as the police paraded the body of a notorious kidnapper and armed robber, Henry Chibueze, aka “Vampire”, at the police headquarters.
Commendations have been going, from all over the world, to the gallant men and officers of the Nigeria Police for the successful operation.
According to the police, Vampire had, by his own admission, killed over 200 people! He wiped out his girlfriend and eight members of her family in Lagos, the blood-chilling account continued.
“He had earlier confessed to the murder of his girlfriend Sandra and eight members of her family, among them six children in Lagos State. He alleged that the girlfriend stole his N45million share of N110million ransom paid by the family of one of his victims in Omoku, Rivers State,” said CSP Jimoh Moshood, the spokesman of the Police Headquarters.
The police described Vampire as a cultist who later turned into a vicious and dangerous kidnapper/armed robber.
He was first declared wanted in 2013.
Police said he was responsible for many cases of kidnappings, armed robberies, murder of notable and prominent personalities in the south-east and south-south states.
“He is a serial killer who also confessed to have killed over 200 people in various kidnappings and armed robbery attacks.
“He claimed responsibility for the murder of the following persons:
*Placid Ejimadu (Nze Ji Obi), Jonathan Ibemere aka Gwuogwuo and Livinus Iwumune, all natives of Agbaja Nwangele L.G.A., Imo State.
*The killing of a member of the Imo State House of Assembly at Orji in 2015
* The kidnap/murder of a traditional ruler’s wife from Mbaise in 2015 whose corpse has not been seen till date.
*The kidnap/murder of a man from Malaysia at First Bank, World Bank branch, Owerri.
* The killing of 3 members of a family including a woman from Nkwerre in 2012 after collecting ransom from the family.
Also paraded were five members of his gang: Obinna Elah, 26 years old from Orlu, who was Vampire’s second-in-command; Arinze Abecheta, 24 years, from Okohia, Isiala Mbano L.G.A.; and Chukwuebuka Ikeazota, 23, from Arochukwu in Abia State.
The fifth member of the gang was Samuel Ugochukwu, 24years old, also from Arochukwu in Abia; and the sixth was Clifford Aheana from Omu Awa in Ikwerre LGA, Rivers State.
Police said they recovered five AK 47 rifles and 300 rounds of AK 47 ammunition from the gang. Charms were also recovered from the body of Vampire, the killed leader of the gang.
The gang members were arrested early Thursday by a special police squad after a gun battle at Omu Awa Forest in Ikwerre LGA of Rivers State.
“The Police Special Forces working under the supervision of the commissioner of police, Imo State Police Command, swooped on the hideout of Henry Chibueze, aka ‘Vampire’, and his gang and engaged them in a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours in the early hours of 02/03/2017 at Omu Awa forest, Ikwerre L.G.A. of Rivers State.
“This operation was successfully carried out as the dreaded, vicious and kidnap-for-ransom and armed robbery kingpin, Henry Chibueze, aka ‘Vampire’, and his gang who were rescued by his criminal cohorts from the Owerri High Court premises on 27/01/2017 from the custody of officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service died during the shootout with the Police Special Forces and all the other suspects mentioned above were arrested and the exhibits listed recovered from them.
The police said the living members of the ‘Vampire’ gang have made useful statement, confessing and admitting to have carried out four successful kidnap operations after the rescue of their gang leader at the Owerri High Court premises on 27 January this year.
They will all be charged to court on completion of investigation, Moshood said.
Additional reporting by NAN
