EvansGATE -Why Was He Freed After His 2006 Bank Robbery?

The Nigeria Police Force has launched an investigation into how alleged billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamdike aka Evans, regained freedom in 2006 after he was arrested for armed robbery in Lagos state. 

The investigation follows a revelation by a senior police officer that Evans was arrested in 2006, after his gang of robbers attacked a commercial bank in Lagos.


The senior police officer whose name has been concealed to protect him from prosecution, had said the robbers went somewhere around the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, to share the loot.


The source said while sharing the loot, the robbers had a disagreement and shot one another. Seven members of the gang reportedly died instantly while three of the suspects, including Evans were arrested. The senior officer said his team also went to Mbidi police station, Imo state, for investigation, where two other gang members were arrested.


He however, said a police woman identified as Tina at the Band Section of Police College, Lagos pushed for Evans’ release on the grounds that he was her brother. “There was a police woman at the Band Section of Police College, Lagos, Tina, who insisted that we dropped the case as Evans was her brother. She traveled to Imo state. Not long after she returned, we got a message from the Imo state police command that the command had been searching for Evans and requested we transferred the case," the officer said.


Evans has also reportedly confessed to the 2006 armed robbery attack on a bank and the shooting of seven persons. Now the police high command has ordered a full-scale investigation into the matter to determine if any officer helped Evans regain freedom or if the court freed him.


A top police source told the Guardian that if found culpable, those police officers, would face the law whether they are still in the force or not. “Following his confession, the police authorities want to know how Evans was freed from the armed robbery offence, the police want to know who the police woman Tina is and whether she played a vital role in the release of Evans.


We want to know whether other officers were also involved or if the court freed Evans. “I assure you that if Evans was released without due process, those police officers, whether they are still in the force or not would be fished out and made to face the law.


We will get to the root of the matter. Heads will roll if policemen were responsible for shielding an armed robbery case," the source said.


Meanwhile, alleged kidnapper, Evans has insisted that he was fair to all his victims despite the public perception of him. According to the suspect, he was unfair to only one of his victims. He also insisted that he does not collect ransom using banks because he could be traced easily.

Naij