Metro

Billionaire Kidnapper Evans Seeks Plea Bargain, Says He Now Teaches Prisoners

Published

8 months ago

February 21, 2025

Editor

Convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, has told the Lagos State High Court, sitting at Tafa Balewa Square, that he is now a teacher at the correctional centre in Kirikiri after obtaining a diploma in Economics from the Yewa College of Education, and that he is no longer a criminal.

Evans said he was prepared to surrender all his property, as part of a plea bargain agreement, should the court consider his application on compassionate grounds.

This was contained in his application for plea bargain.

He pledged to forfeit his 14 new trucks to the Lagos State Government for sale, with the proceeds to be transferred to the victims of his criminal activities, as part of the proposed plea bargain arrangement.

This is the second time Evans has approached a court seeking a plea bargain for his involvement in kidnapping.

On January 30, 2025, he approached Justice Adenike Coker of the Ikeja High Court to ask for a plea bargain.

Evans had five criminal cases across various high courts in Lagos State.

Two of these have already resulted in convictions, one of which carries a life sentence, while the other has a 21-year prison term.

Represented by his lawyer, Mr Etudo Emefo, Evans, in his application before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he had undergone transformation during his time in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.

He claimed that the Federal Government gave him a scholarship while in prison.

He pleaded with the Lagos State Government for mercy, explaining that without its forgiveness, the Federal Government’s scholarship would be rendered useless.

He furtherargued that he would be unable to practise the new skills he acquired while incarcerated, which would amount to a waste of government resources.

According to the process filed before the court, during his time in prison, the Federal Government offered Evans and other inmates the opportunity to further their education.

Evans took up this offer and was granted a scholarship.

As a result, he earned a National Certificate in Education in Economics and is now a teacher, no longer identifying as a criminal.

Copies of his NCE certificate and project work were submitted as appendices.

Additionally, Evans was offered admission to the National Open University of Nigeria under the Federal Government’s scholarship scheme.

He is currently in his second year, studying Political Science.

His admission letter and student ID card were presented to the court as part of the application.

Evans said he also underwent training in welding and metal fabrication through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, successfully passing all relevant tests.

A copy of the test results was included as an appendix.

When the case which was fixed for trial, came up on Thursday, the prosecuting counsel, Alaba kuku, told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that the defendants have expressed interests in pursuing plea bargain agreements with the state government.

He confirmed that Evans’ counsel, Etudo, had given him an advance copy of the application which is currently before the state government for consideration.

Evans and his co-defendants, Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba and Linus Opara, are seeking plea bargain agreements.

The four men are standing trial in a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and attempted murder before Justice Sonaike who began the case afresh in January 2023 following the retirement of Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

Other counsel – Emeka Azubuike representing the second defendant, Chinyere Udeh representing the third defendant, and Emmanuel Ochai who appeared for the fourth defendant, confirmed the development to the court.

But, the third defendant’s counsel, said he was yet to submit his application for plea bargain to the state government, through the office of the Attorney General of the state.

Consequently Justice Sonaike adjourned the case till April, 17, 2025, for a report on the applications for plea bargain.

Metro

BREAKING: Lagos Re-arraigns Kidnapper Evans Over Police Officers’ Killing

Published

2 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Lagos State Government on Monday re-arraigned convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja is hearing the case of the murder of two police officers by the billionaire kidnapper.

He and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, were arraigned before Justice A. O. Ogala on a five-count charge bordering on murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Details later…

Metro

Lagos Demolishes 17 Houses For Encroaching On Waterways

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

At least 17 houses have been demolished by the Lagos State Government for encroaching on the right-of-way (RoW) of the Ikota River alignment.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, led a monitoring and enforcement team, accompanied by journalists, to the site on Saturday.

Wahab cautioned residents against actions that threaten the environment, warning that nature inevitably retaliates against human negligence and unlawful reclamation of wetlands.

He disclosed that the ministry had received reports months earlier about illegal reclamation activities aimed at narrowing the river’s natural path.

“We stopped them then, but we were alerted again recently that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell land to unsuspecting buyers,” Wahab said.

The commissioner said the government had now taken decisive action to halt the encroachment and clear all illegal structures along the alignment.

He added that those behind the unlawful activity would be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Speaking on the perennial challenge of flooding, Wahab noted that while it is impossible to completely prevent flooding in a coastal state like Lagos, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, lagoons, and rivers, the government continues to invest in infrastructure to mitigate its impact.

“What we can do is reduce its effects through resilient infrastructure, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has consistently provided and maintained,” he said.

Despite ongoing efforts to desilt and maintain drainage systems daily, Wahab lamented that some individuals persist in obstructing waterways for personal gain.

He cited property number 156 as an example, saying it blocked the coastal road alignment and disrupted the natural flow of water.

“That property will be cleared to allow the Ikota channel to discharge freely into the Lagos Lagoon,” he added.

Wahab stressed that demolition was not always the state’s first option, as the government often explored corrective measures.

“Sometimes we ask developers to produce practical designs for stormwater discharge, but they must bear the cost, not taxpayers,” he said, describing it as irresponsible for the government to fix problems created by private developers who profit from violating environmental regulations.

During an inspection tour of the Lekki–Epe corridor, Wahab also decried the massive encroachment on wetlands originally designed to retain excess rainwater.

He said drone surveillance had exposed extensive damage to the wetland corridor, including the destruction of coconut trees planted for soil stability.

According to him, violators were issued demolition notices on 26 September, ahead of planned transport infrastructure works on the same route.

He explained that the inspection was intended to align environmental preservation with the Ministry of Transport’s Green Line Rail project.

Additionally, the Commissioner for Transport, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stated that the Green Line Rail project, which will run from Marina to Epe, is anticipated to commence in December following stakeholder consultations and feasibility studies.

Osiyemi said some car dealers who were granted temporary approval to use power line spaces had violated terms by constructing permanent structures on wetlands.

“As a state, we must enforce compliance and protect the environment while advancing our transport development agenda,” Osiyemi said.

He added that the Green Line project, which is expected to last approximately three years, forms part of Lagos State’s integrated transport solution aimed at easing mobility across the metropolis.

Other areas visited during the inspection included Chevron Gate off Orchid Road, Partibon Homes, Oral Extension Phase 2, and Park View in Ikoyi.

(NAN)

Metro

EFCC Probes Travellers Over Undeclared $6m, £53,000 At Lagos Airport

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched an investigation into two travellers found in possession of undeclared foreign currencies totalling over $6,000 and £53,000 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Terminal 2 in Lagos.

This was made known through a statement posted on the agency’s verified X handle on Saturday.

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, based in Ikoyi, have identified the suspects as Mamud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi.

The anti-graft agency said the suspects were apprehended by personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria during a routine check on Saturday.

Earlier, The PUNCH reported how the suspects who attempted to board an Aerocontractors aircraft with an undeclared sum of over $6.1m in cash were intercepted and arrested at the aircraft’s foot.

They claimed to be security officials travelling with a suspect and the money as exhibits.

However, the EFCC stated in its announcement that the duo, who had arrived in Nigeria from Dubai via Addis Ababa and were en route to Abuja, allegedly failed to declare the sums of $6,180 and £53,415 in their possession, as required by law.

Following their arrest, they were initially handed over to the Department of State Services before being transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

EFCC also confirmed the seizure of three mobile phones found on the suspects at the time of arrest.

The suspects and the confiscated items were formally received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali.

The EFCC in its statement said, “Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos, have commenced investigations of two travellers arrested by operatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, for allegedly failing to declare the sums of $6,180 and £53,415 cash in their possession.

“Also found on the suspects are three mobile phones. The suspects and the exhibits were received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Ahmed Ghali.”