Gang leader coordinates kidnap operations from prison

Not even the prison bar, strong doors, or high walls of the Port Harcourt prison could curb the nefarious activities of Prosper David, the alleged gang leader of a notorious kidnapping gang terrorizing the Port Harcourt axis of Rivers State.

Even while in prison, he still coordinated the kidnapping operations of his boys in the free world, until the long arm of the law also caught up with them.

This much was made known by one of the suspects paraded Wednesday by the police in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Cyprian Nwanfo, 33, disclosed that their kidnap gang activities are controlled from the prison by their leader, David, who he said would call to give them instruction on who to kidnap, how much to collect as ransom, and how the loot should be shared among the five-man gang.

Nwanfo even spoke with Prosper on his phone, in the presence of policemen to prove to them he was not lying. Prosper, unaware that Nwanfo had been arrested, told him to lie low because police were on their trail.

Nwanfo also disclosed that said their most recent victim was a female, who paid 10 million Naira as ransom, adding that Prosper got three million naira as his share, which they routed through his wife.

“We took an oath”, he said.

He continued, “My name is Cyprian Ifanyi Nwanfo. I am 33 years old and from Abia State. Our Oga is the man in prison; his name is Prosper David.

Read also: ‘I recruited my kidnapping gang from prison connections’

“My friend Chuks Okozie, who is also in prison, introduced me into bunkering, before they introduced guns into our business. We took oath and were told we cannot quit; if we do, we will die.

“Tugo Man is the next to Prosper. He takes order from Prosper. When we kidnap, we share to Oga in prison. I got one million naira from the 10 million a female (names and profession withheld) we kidnapped paid this year.

“We give the share of our Oga to his wife at Abuloma end of Port Harcourt. We do not talk to the woman when she comes.”

Police also paraded Sylvanus George, who organised the kidnap of 80-year-old mother of Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Patience Tam-George.

George said: “I am 35 years. I do not do anything. I dropped out of University of Port Harcourt. I organised the kidnap of the Commissioner’s mother to make money from the commissioner.

“I could not get anything because Ateke Atom arrested me and handed me over to the Police.”

 

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