The four suspected kidnappers who were arrested and paraded at the SSS headquarters in Abuja yesterday are Abdallah Alfa (alias Ambassador), Kingsley Njoku Obi, Aniabor Ochuko (alias Kelly Handsome) and Chilaka Rowland (alias Peace).
The SSS indicated its preparedness to hand them over to the police for prosecution.
Reports of a preliminary investigation carried out by the men of the SSS indicated that the suspects, who owned up to the plot, fashioned the crime to serve as a forceful way of ending the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Addressing journalists yesterday, the Assistant Director, Public Relations, of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, said, "the Minister of Education was to be forced to sign an alleged agreement with ASUU. They further planned to demand a ransom of N300 million from the Federal Government as a condition for releasing the minister should they have been kidnapped.
"However, part of the plot was to eventually kill Egwu, the Minister of Education and release Ademola after the ransom would have been paid. The choice of using students for the operation was ostensibly to make the exercise and subsequent demand appear as if geared towards the Federal Government and ASUU impasse".
She described the leader of the gang, Alfa, as an incurable fraudster, given his antecedents, which included previous attempts to obtain money under false pretence.
"While he hails from Dekina, Kogi State. He claims to be Hausa from Kano. The plan to kidnap the ministers was discussed in his house in Abuja. He not only promised to sponsor the attempt, he initiated it. He recruited others and promised them the sum of N14 million, with an initial payment of N4 million", she said.
Of the other three suspects, Kingsley Njoku (23) and Chilaka Rowland (28) are final- year students of University of Abuja, in the Department of Political Science. Rowland owned up to his membership of a secret cult known as the Black Axe Confraternity, Ogar said.
The other suspect, Aniabor Ochuko (27) was said to have come all the way from Warri where he has been resident since the ASUU strike, for the kidnap job. He also claimed to be studying computer science in the University of Abuja.
Ogar berated the leader of the gang, saying, "It is unfortunate that Alfa, a 58-year-old father, who is supposed to serve as a role model to the younger ones, cajoled them into embarking on the nefarious act, thus capitalising on their seeming frustration and desperation to go back to school by all means.
"Parents and guardians are enjoined to keep a closer watch on their children and wards to ensure they do not engage in acts inimical to orderliness and security".
Education Minister Sam Egwu has confirmed to our correspondent that he was to have been kidnapped, but could not give details.
When asked about the incident by our correspondent, he simply laughed over it, saying, "I have no time now to address the press about it."
Source: Leadership
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