THE STATUS QUO

The news article is either a product of a poorly researched journalism or the orchestration of the complainant in the case. As Mr Osagie Iyamu's Legal counsel in the case, I find the content malicious and highly defamatory.

The A.I.G Zone 5 which indeed handled the investigation found the entire complainant's story as spurious and manifestly lacking in merit, as far as Mr. Osagie Lovely Iyamu alleged involvement was concerned.

I personally do hope the office of the A.I.G immediately dissociate itself from this defamatory contents annexed herewith. The allegation was found to be a hate case against our client as there was no nexus connecting other suspects in the case with our client, Mr. Osagie Lovely Iyamu.

NB: THE PERPETRATORS OF THE CRIME THAT CONFESSED THEIR NEFARIOUS ACT HAVE SINCE BEEN CHARGE TO COURT AND OUR CLIENT CARRYING OUT HIS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS

The Junk Publication reads

"Police arrest five alleged kidnappers

BY JETHRO IBILEKE

July 9, 2010 12:13AM
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Five suspected kidnappers have been apprehended by operatives of Zone 5 of Nigeria Police, Benin, for allegedly kidnapping a son of a former vice chairman of Oredo local government area in Edo State and his friend.

The suspected kidnappers include Precious Damene, Peres Joseph, and Khalin Jimmy. Others are Progress Sehie and Iyamu Lovely Osagie. A security official said the suspects lured David Oviasu, 27, and his friend, Aka Godwin, 20, both residents in Benin, to Warri, Delta State, under the pretext that they would be given a contract in the oil rich city. Mr Oviasu was said to have been offered an interior decoration contract in Warri by someone who called him on phone. The caller said he got the job based on his past contract with Church of God Mission. Mr Oviasu was said to have invited his friend to accompany him to Warri. Upon arrival at Warri, three of the suspected kidnappers allegedly controlled their victims with phone. They met somewhere in the town and subsequently took them in their car. Not long after, the two men were later taken to Okpara Water Side, also in the state, where the other two members of the gang allegedly received the victims.

Police response

According to newly appointed Public Relations Officer for the police Zone 5 police command, Titilope Otukoya, the suspected kidnappers demanded a ransom of N70 million from the family of their victims. But they later settled for N2 million, which was paid by their family to secure their release. It was after paying the ransom money that the family reportedly contacted the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the zone, Abubakar Mohammed, who immediately assigned a team to investigate the incident. Subsequently the suspects were nabbed at their hide out in Delta State.

“The suspects’ mission included forcing the mother of one of the victims, Regina Oviasu, to drop her political ambition to contest for the local government chairmanship post in the 2010 election, as well as to extort enough money from her in order to weaken her financial prowess for political activities,” Ms Otukoya said. She said three of the suspects have confessed to the crime, and investigation almost completed after which all the suspects will be charged to court."