Police Gun down Notorious Kidnapper, Vampire, Arrest Five Others
The Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) yesterday gunned down a notorious kidnapper, Henry Chibueze, alias Vampire during a gun battle in Rivers State.
The IRT also arrested some members of his gang, who were identified as 26-yearold Obinna Elah, 24-year-old Arinze Abecheta, 23-year-old Chukwuebuka Ikeazota, 24-year- old Samuel Ugochukwu and Clifford Aheana.
Confirming the incident, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said the notorious kingpin was killed during a gun duel with the police.
He said: “Vampire has killed many families. He has wiped away innocent people. This is a criminal that escaped from the court under gun fire. We have to do everything possible to ensure people like that are not in the society.
“They shot one of our officers in the course of the battle. The officers who went there are humans and they have right to self-defence.
“The criminals fired at them and you don’t expect them to sit idle and watch while they were being attacked by armed criminals. He died in the process of the battle.”
Parading the suspects in Imo State, the Force Headquarters spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) said five AK47 rifles and 300 rounds of AK47 ammunition were recovered from them, adding that charms were also found on Vampire.
Moshood said: “Concerned with the spate of kidnapping and other violent crimes in Imo and other South Eastern States, the IG, Idris, deployed Police Special Forces led by Intelligence Response Team to these states.
“The special forces working under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, 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 yesterday, at Omu Awa forest Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, the operation was successfully carried out as the dreaded, vicious kidnap for ransom and armed robbery kingpin, Chibueze who was rescued by his criminal cohorts from the Owerri High Court premises on January 27 was killed.
“He escaped while in custody of officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service but he died during the shootout. Other suspects were arrested and exhibits recovered from them.
“Henry Chibueze (aka Vampire) (deceased) was a cultist who later turned into a vicious and dangerous kidnapper/ armed robber, and was declared wanted since 2013.
“He was responsible for several cases of kidnappings, armed robberies, murder of notable and prominent personalities in Imo State and South-eastern/South-south states.
“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.
“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; kidnap/murder of a traditional rulers’ wife from Mbaise in 2015 whose corpse has not been seen till date and the kidnap/murder of a man from Malaysia at First Bank, World Bank Branch Owerri.
“The killing of three members of a family including a woman from Nkwerre in 2012 after collecting ransom from the family.
“The living members of the gang have made useful statements to the police confessing and admitting to have carried out four successful kidnap operations after the rescue of their gang leader at the Owerri High Court premises. They will all be charged to court on completion of investigation.”