The police have urged Nigerians to not fret over the reported “vanishing” of suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeje George Onwuamadike alias Evans.
The appeal was sequel to the anxiety created by a newspaper report which alleged that Evans’ whereabouts was unknown and that the suspect had vanished.
According to the spokesman for the Force Headquarters, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CPS), Evans was safe and still in police custody.
Moshood said investigation was still ongoing, adding that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as all ends were tied.
The Nation reliably gathered from a source that Evans was relocated to a maximum security cell in Abuja for his protection, following the disclosure of his former location by a national newspaper.
It was reliably gathered that with that disclosure, came several requests for access to the suspect from the public and media houses, which the police considered a threat to his safety.
However, Moshood said, “The media need to avoid stories that could create fear, tension or misrepresentation among the masses. Where did Evans vanish to? That headline was misleading. The suspect and his accomplices are very much in our custody.
“We are working hard to ensure that justice is served at the end of the day. There are certain information that are not for public consumption to avoid jeopardising investigation or even national security.
“Evans is with the police. His whereabouts is known but cannot be made public. We are appealing to Nigerians to remain calm and support the police to conclude its investigation.”
He added, “The Police have made significant progress in the investigations of these crimes. The public should disregard and discountenance all media reports in the social and print media that he has vanished or released and all criminal charges against him dropped as UNTRUE and ABSOLUTE FALSEHOOD.”
Also, the detective who arrested of Evans, ACP Abba Kyari on his Facebook wrote: “Friends, I received over a thousand calls this morning, please disregard the fake news from a major newspaper today that the most notorious kidnapper in the history of Nigeria, Evans in our custody has vanished. It’s a Big Lie.
“In Accordance with the 90 Days Remand Order from Federal High Court, investigation covering three countries is in progress. It’s a misleading headline, we can never joke with the Security of Nigerians.” Kyari added.
Our source who hinted on the kingpin’s relocation, said that Evans had also expressed worries that his life might be in danger, given that information, including how he was fed at the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud (SARS), Ikeja, was in public.
The source added, “The moment it became public that Evans was being detained at SARS in Ikeja, his relocation was planned. You don’t expect the police to stay calm with so much information about the suspect in public. It was disturbing because it would have been a huge disaster if anything had happened to him there
“The police would have been accused of collecting money to kill him or even extrajudicial killing. So, relocating was not negotiable. Why it took so long was because the Ogas wanted to be sure all necessary security measures were put in place. They also did not want a situation where information would leak before he was taken out of the state.
“People should allow the police work. I think this Evans’ matter has been over flogged. Police should be allowed to continue discreet investigation so that when the suspects are charged to court, the public can continue getting the drama there.”
