Nigeria’s most wanted and richest kidnapper, Chukwudi Dumem Onuamadkie, more commonly know as Evans, was arrested by authorities over the weekend.
Evans, a 36-year-old and a native of Anambra State in Southern Nigeria, has been described as “most wanted, vicious and highly notorious.” On Saturday as police raided a Lagos property belonging to Evans a gun battle ensued with the suspect and his associates. Security forces eventually overpowered them and arrested seven people in the operation, while also seizing 10 guns and more than 1,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.
He has been implicated in a series of high-profile kidnappings in the country in recent years and has targeted foreign nationals, traditional chiefs and wealthy businessmen. This led Evans to becoming one of Nigeria’s wealthiest alleged criminals. He allegedly owns two mansions in an upmarket district of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, as well as two properties in Accra, the capital of neighboring Ghana.
Evans would allegedly use two separate gangs to conduct kidnappings: one to carry out the abduction and another to transfer the victim to a safe house. The gang leader extracted million-dollar ransoms from the families of his victims, whom he would keep in captivity for months at a time.
After the story broke thousands of Nigerians took to twitter to weigh in on the capture of Nigeria’s richest kidnapper:
Nigeria Billionaire Kidnapper Chukwudi “Evans pic.twitter.com/DWZ0AwUix2
— Obamoh Olusegun (@ObamohOlusegun) June 12, 2017
Shocker! List of Nigeria’s Richest Kidnapper Evans’ Victims and Amounts They Paid as Ransom Revealed. Fraudulent life leads to destruction.
— Stephen Alabi (@stephen_alabi) June 12, 2017
Meet Evans, Nigeria’s notorious kidnapper, captured after gun battle with police https://t.co/AYGuafMnZR _happens where wealth is worshipped
— jide•yusuf (@jideyusuf) June 13, 2017
Police parades Nigeria’s most wanted kidnapper, Evans & associates https://t.co/RHKFjrnOPZ pic.twitter.com/r1YzNnuG1u
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) June 12, 2017
List Of Atrocities Committed by Evans, Nigeria’s Richest High Profile Kidnapper https://t.co/GeYxowUgVb
— aliiwo (@aliiwostreet9) June 11, 2017
Sometimes you just love Nigeria, imagine if this Evans was in America he would have lawyered up with "I know my rights kinda ish"
— Carpe Diem (@Tobiloba_O) June 12, 2017
The police should go after the kidnappers assets. If Evans family enjoys anything then we failed regardless @sunrisedailynow
— Only in Nigeria (@OnlyinNigeria) June 13, 2017
https://twitter.com/TonyOgbunugafor/status/874512116891492352
Celebration in Nigeria police by igp-irt arrested Evans the notorious,and intelligence kidnapper in the history of Nigeria in lagos.kudos.
— Ojiemen Friday (@OjiemenF) June 10, 2017
PARADE OF MOST WANTED, VICIOUS AND HIGHLY NOTORIOUS KIDNAP FOR RANSOM GANG LEADER EVANS AND…. FOR DETAILS: CLICK https://t.co/uR58qj0Q36 pic.twitter.com/qM4yXzRSK4
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) June 11, 2017
