[size=13pt]Two soldiers to face Court Martial over kidnap of Mikel Obi’s father[/size]

By Taye Obateru & Kingsley Omonobi
ARMY authorities in Abuja, yesterday, confirmed the arrest of two of their personnel attached to the Special Task Force known as Operation Safe Haven maintaining security in Plateau State, over alleged abduction of Pa Michael Obi, father of international footballer, Mikel who was rescued in Kano, Monday, even as hundreds of people thronged police headquarters in Jos to catch a glimpse of Pa Obi who was re-united with his family, yesterday.

Pa Michael Obi had while speaking on his ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers, pointed accusing fingers at some soldiers as his abductors. Parading six of the suspects, Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dipo Ayeni said two of the soldiers had been identified and gave their names as Sergeant Victor Essien with service number 96NA/43/11213 and Private Jaduwa Thloma with number 03NA/54/5527 both of 2 Battalion but on temporary posting to Plateau State. The soldiers were, however, not among the six suspects paraded as they were said to be in military custody.

How he was abducted—Police

The commissioner recounted how Pa Obi was blocked with an army coloured Hilux Pick-up at about 6pm on August 5 around the State Security Services, SSS, Building at the Air Force Base, pushed inside the vehicle and taken into an unknown destination in Rayfield where they were joined by four others who eventually took him to Kano. He said the suspects demanded a ransom of four billion dollars “which they called a chicken change to Mikel Obi and his Club, Chelsea”.

Two of the suspects paraded included two women, Nkechi Osai and Hajiya Awa Abubakar and four others. The police commissioner gave their names as Ifeanyi Hyacinth, Ndubuisi Friday, Basil Chukwuma, and Sule Ibrahim, a Niger national.

The commissioner said: “Before the detectives were sent to Kano, the state Police Command had put in place a comprehensive intelligence network and this revealed to the police that the old man was somewhere in Kano State. This was made possible by the arrest of one Jacob Cromwell, a dismissed police corporal in Jos on August 21, 2011.”

Police display dexterity in my rescue—Pa Obi

Recounting his ordeal to journalists, Pa Obi who praised the policemen involved in his case commended them for the dexterity they displayed when they stormed where he was kept in Kano to rescue him adding that the scene of his rescue would have been a bestseller if captured on video. He said: “The Nigerian Police Force did what I never expected. They proved that they had the competence and ability. How I wish the operation was captured on video for the world to see.” In his reaction to the allegations, Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Rafael Isa said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Onyeabor Ihejirika has directed the 3 division headquarters to commence investigation of the two soldiers arrested at about 11.30pm on Monday.

He said: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to the unfortunate development unfolding in the aftermath of the rescue of Mr. Michael Obi from kidnappers. We view this seriously especially the mention of soldiers of the Special Task Force, Jos, as suspects by the victim. This brings to fore the fact that the Army itself is not insulated from the kind of criminal activities that we see and hear from the larger society.

“For now, the 3 Division headquarters in Jos, has arrested two non commissioned officers based on information received from the victim and Kano State Police Command, at about midnight yesterday. The military Police have also commenced investigation to verify this serious allegation. We equally want to assure the public that the Army headquarters is disturbed and will not hesitate to deal with any soldier who would want to throw away the core ethics of the profession by engaging in such criminal activities as kidnapping, rob bery and the like”.

Asked if the alleged involvement of soldiers in kidnapping was not a sign that morale in the Army was low, General Isa said: “Let me assure you that morale in the Army is high. If it turns out true that those soldiers did what they are accused of, their problem is not that of morale. The soldiers of the JTF are well kitted, their equipment is new, they have new vehicles to perform their functions and they are well catered for.”

Olubolade hails police

Meanwhile, Police Affairs minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, yesterday, hailed efforts of the Nigeria Police Force that led to the release of Pa Michael Obi. Reacting to the rescue of Pa Obi and the arrest of his kidnappers by the Police in Kano, the minister said the feat was a testimony that with adequate information and cooperation by the Nigerian public, the Nigeria Police Force has the capacity to perform its statutory duties to the optimum.

Olubolade said the case of Mikel’s father had attracted international interest and concern due to his son’s world status and argued that this achievement deserves the commendation of all Nigerians, as it has gone a long way to redeem Nigeria’s image dented by the action of the hoodlums.

Advising those involved in criminal activities like kidnapping to find more profitable engagements, he assured that the Police would not rest on its oars until such activities are reduced to the barest minimum.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/two-soldiers-to-face-court-martial-over-kidnap-of-mikel-obi%E2%80%99s-father/

$4 Billion Ransom!!!? Were they dreaming? Kudos to our security forces.

Pay the military and police well, let them do their job with pride.

as for police sometimes they come to their senses  and sometimes they go insane.

We are always very quick to bash the Nigerian Police for their shortcomings. They've really performed exceptionally this time. Kudos to them.

I commend the NPF, @ least we finally have a good result of their operations after ages of non, i hope its not becos they were not let into the deal that resulted into they actually doing their job cos i know those guys in black can never b trusted, mmmmmcheeewww

This achievement by the police should be highly commended by the Government. The police should be rewarded accordingly, it will serve as an inspiration to other police.God bless you. God2man.

They should make a new law making kidnaping a crime punnishable only by death by hanging i swear all these kidnaping go end

Na greed kill them. Why not ask for just 20 or 30 cool millions?

mulumele:

Na greed kill them. Why not ask for just 20 or 30 cool millions?

20 cool mil, ? thats too small for person that earn 87,000usd weekly, 348,000usd monthly , change that to naira, and consider the risk involve and how many ppl wanting to cut part of the cake, 20, 30 small ooo, 500m self small lol,

Wow!!!!
Kudos to the security forces they showed a RARE display of competence but that does not tae anything away from this kudos to them

If soldiers could be involved in this, definately i will believe the stories of their involvement in arm robbery activities at night in the north especially kogi - Lokoja Road

dinggle:

Pay the military and police well, let them do their job with pride.

Seconded

KUDOS TO NP, the Army nd in fact the entire 9ja.
NL, this attempt by the duo seems to me was for a eye service bcus the guy involved is a footballers dad. I asked a question with all humility " How of many such kidnapping in 9ja have had such xpress services and attention by the said NP nd Army?' kidnapping biz would have stopped by now if the duo hav put similar efforts over the yrs of 9ja kidnapping era.
Pls this question IS for all NL.

i dont believe that [img]http://2.s07.flagcounter.com/count/DymW/bg=E6E6E5/txt=E6E6E5/border=E6E6E5/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/[/img]
[img]http://s07.flagcounter.com/count/DymW/bg=E6E6E5/txt=E6E6E5/border=E6E6E5/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/[/img]

well, at least we now know that soldiers and policemen engage in criminal activities.

Only time will tell before new facts about the police and army involvement start emerging. sorry i don't trust 9ja police at all.

Stale gist of unilag girls fighting on twitter check here :

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-738666.0.html

I also heard the new song from Dbanj [ oliver twist ] download below:

http://www.nigerianhiphop.net/2011/08/19/dbanj-oliver-twist/


The crisis in Maiduguri , with the boko haram bombing every where some people said military should move out of town and started posting pictures:

http://www.reportmaiduguriabusestohonkk.org/

THEM NO KNOW THW VALUE OF MONEY

why demanding $4 billion huh?

Useless country so now your soldiers are kidnappers, are they northerners? If they are let's kill them if not just send them home cos its normal in the south

no be small thing

Whoever believes this report the Police is naive.

Police don't tell the truth, they always look for a way to prove they are working. Working in deed! Those they parade as the kidnappers, I pity them. I have no doubt they are victims of circumstance and will never go scot free.

I am sure they raided a joint and arrested those people and labelled them 'kidnappers' or forced them to accept they are the kidnappers. The issue is not an isolated cases, they abound especially in Lagos.

I have been in one, but God saved me i was able to bail myself and those who were not lucky were paraded as criminals. How would you justify your innocence in the Nigerian system. Police on patrol have committed unfathomable attrocities against innocent Nigerians. Whoever lacks this experience will alway extol the NPF

The story is not detailed. I would not want to bore us with lengthy write up.

I worked late. i was at the bus stop somewhere on Opebi, Ikeja, waiting to catch any available bus home. It was late - 11 - 11.30pm. The restriction on Okada movement made it worst.

Lo and behold, a bus [Danfo in Navy colour] pulled over in front of us. I was happy, I was going home at last after waiting for a time that seems like eternity at the bus stop.

My happiness was ephemeral when those who emerged from the bus were Policemen. They ordered us into the bus and called us wanderers. I showed my ID card and tried to explain why i was there at that time of the night. I was wasting my time trying to knock them down with a feather. You would only embarras your self or get killed if you struggle or argue stupidly trying to justify your innocence to whatever accusation they labelled on you.

Instead to take us to their station at area F, they decided to take us round the city of lagos preying on other people. At about 2am, that was when we got to their station.

At the station they asked us to bail ourself or we would be charged to court at Alausa for any criminal offence they may wish. Can you imagine that? One of them [met in the station] which our path had crossed sometime in the past, confided that i should give them whatever i had so that I could leave the place without them soiling my integrity. I considered calling a friend of mind who is a lawyer and at the same was discouraged by the Nigerian system in the Police force. At last I settled for an option of bailing myself. I was not bucks up, I asked to be allowed to visit any ATM around the station to get some cash. My phone was ceased to be convinced I would not flee. I later returned to station and gave them N3k after much arguement that it should be N5K. After giving them the money, they made advances for friendship, requesting for my business call card and phone numbers. It was a pathetic situation.

The fate of those who were still there was only known by God.
You can only deal with them if you can bug your confrontation with. It may admissible in your legal proceeding.

I don't see them as a functional public service agent but glorified criminals.

Guns weapons of death, Who keeps the rules and who breaks them.

Koolking:

Whoever believes this report the Police is naive.

Police don't tell the truth, they always look for a way to prove they are working. Working in deed! Those they parade as the kidnappers, I pity them. I have no doubt they are victims of circumstance and will never go scot free.

I am sure they raided a joint and arrested those people and labelled them 'kidnappers' or forced them to accept they are the kidnappers. The issue is not an isolated cases, they abound especially in Lagos.

I have been in one, but God saved me i was able to bail myself and those who were not lucky were paraded as criminals. How would you justify your innocence in the Nigerian system. Police on patrol have committed unfathomable attrocities against innocent Nigerians. Whoever lacks this experience will alway extol the NPF

The story is not detailed. I would not want to bore us with lengthy write up.

I worked late. i was at the bus stop somewhere on Opebi, Ikeja, waiting to catch any available bus home. It was late - 11 - 11.30pm. The restriction on Okada movement made it worst.

Lo and behold, a bus [Danfo in Navy colour] pulled over in front of us. I was happy, I was going home at last after waiting for a time that seems like eternity at the bus stop.

My happiness was ephemeral when those who emerged from the bus were Policemen. They ordered us into the bus and called us wanderers. I showed my ID card and tried to explain why i was there at that time of the night. I was wasting my time trying to knock them down with a feather. You would only embarras your self or get killed if you struggle or argue stupidly trying to justify your innocence to whatever accusation they labelled on you.

Instead to take us to their station at area F, they decided to take us round the city of lagos preying on other people. At about 2am, that was when we got to their station.

At the station they asked us to bail ourself or we would be charged to court at Alausa for any criminal offence they may wish. Can you imagine that? One of them [met in the station] which our path had crossed sometime in the past, confided that i should give them whatever i had so that I could leave the place without them soiling my integrity. I considered calling a friend of mind who is a lawyer and at the same was discouraged by the Nigerian system in the Police force. At last I settled for an option of bailing myself. I was not bucks up, I asked to be allowed to visit any ATM around the station to get some cash. My phone was ceased to be convinced I would not flee. I later returned to station and gave them N3k after much arguement that it should be N5K. After giving them the money, they made advances for friendship, requesting for my business call card and phone numbers. It was a pathetic situation.

The fate of those who were still there was only known by God.
You can only deal with them if you can bug your confrontation with. It may admissible in your legal proceeding.

I don't see them as a functional public service agent but glorified criminals.

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[size=16pt]YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!!![/size]

The kidnappers sound daft. How do they expect him to pay a ransome of $4billion ? How much is Chelsea worth and Abrahamovic worth ? They are obviously illiterates.

Useless country so now your soldiers are kidnappers, are they northerners? If they are let's kill them if not just send them home cos its normal in the south

Seconded

;d ;d ;d ;d

saintneo:

[size=28pt]What if this kidnap was internationally arranged? I mean if some agents in Europe are behind this kidnap.[/size]

Must there be a conspiracy theory for every situation?