After smashing a gang of suspected kidnappers in Rivers State, the police have told how the gang leader, Henry Chibueze aka Vampire, killed his girlfriend and eight members of her family when he lost N45million loot.
Police spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, told the story when arrested members of the gang were paraded at the police headquarters in Owerri, Imo State, alongside the body of Vampire, who was killed in a shootout with the police at Omu Awa Forest in Ikwerre LGA of Rivers State.
Moshood also revealed that Vampire, by his own admission, had killed over 200 victims before he met his waterloo.
“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 from N110million ransom paid by the family of one of his victims in Omoku, Rivers States,” Moshood said.
He described Vampire as a cultist who later turned into a vicious and dangerous kidnapper and armed robber.
According to him, Vampire was first declared wanted in 2013, over several cases of kidnappings, armed robberies, murder of notable and prominent personalities in Imo State and South Eastern/South South States.
Moshood said, “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’s Branch in 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: 26-year-old Obinna Elah, from Orlu, who was identified as Vampire’s second in command, Arinze Abecheta (24) from Okohia, Isiala Mbano L.G.A. and Chukwuebuka Ikeazota (23) from Arochukwu in Abia State.
The fifth member of the gang was identified as Samuel Ugochukwu (24) also from Arochukwu in Abia and the sixth was named as 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 allegedly recovered from the body of Vampire.
The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Abba Kyari.
Moshood added, “The Police Special Forces working under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, CP Taiwo Lakanu, swooped on the hideout of Henry Chibueze aka ‘Vampire’ and his gang and engaged them in fierce gun battle that lasted several hours in the early hours of March 2, 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 arrested members of the gang had 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 January 27 this year.
“They will all be charged to court on completion of investigation,” Moshood said.
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