I got N5m out of N160m ransom collected for kidnap of two bankers — Lion

A former worker with a new generation bank, John Ewa, who was arrested by policemen for alleged kidnapping, has said that he was given N5 million out of the N160 million collected from the kidnap of two bankers.

Ewa, popularly known as John Lion, was arrested in Abuja by policemen who traced him from Bayelsa State.

Ewa, who was paraded at the headquarters of the Bayelsa State Police Command alongside other members of his gang, told newsmen that he was involved in the kidnap of only two bankers: Akeem Olushola on December 8, 2020, and Danjuma Emeje on June 30, 2022.

He said he only showed the gang members the Yenagoa homes of the two victims, adding that he knew Omeje while working in his bank as a cleaner before he resigned in 2003.

He said: “We were just driving and I showed them.

“I said: ‘This is my former boss’ house.’

“That was it.”

Ewa said while he received N1.5 million for the kidnap of Olushola, he was given N3.5 million for that of Omeje.

It was revealed by the gang members that while Olushola parted with N100 million, Omeje paid N60 million.

However, the person who brought the N100 million collected from Olushola was said to have removed N20 million from the ransom.

The Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Ben Okolo, paraded the suspect at the Police Officers’ Mess in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Okolo also paraded no fewer than 10 other suspects, who were arrested for crimes bordering on alleged cultism, murder, armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and pipeline vandalism.

Ewa was paraded alongside three members of his gang, whom the police identified as Emmanuel Angase, Innocent Kingsley and Timi Werikumo.

He said Ewa, Angase, Kingsley and Werikumo were apprehended “through painstaking investigation,” while another suspect, Gbalipre Gamage, was at large.

Okolo said: “This gang has been responsible for over 10 high profile kidnappings in the state over a period of seven years.

“On December 8, 2020, one Akeeb Olushola, 48, the manager of a new generation bank, was kidnapped at his residence at Old Commissioners Quarters, Opolo.

“He was released on December 12 after paying a ransom of N80 million.

“Similarly, Danjuma Omeje, 41, the manager of a new generation bank in Yenagoa, was kidnapped at his residence at Okaka, Yenagoa, on July 30, 2022.

“He was released on July 14, 2022 after paying a ransom of N60 million: N30 million cash (in Naira) and US dollar equivalent of N30 million.”

Okolo noted that Ewa was known for his flamboyant lifestyle on social media, adding that he confessed to the kidnap of Olushola, Nancy Keme Dickson on December 26, 2015, Chinonso Eze and other Igbo businessmen.

John Ewa