Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, is a convicted Nigerian

kidnapper Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...

. Onwuamadike is a native of Nnewi, Anambra State. He is sometimes referred to as "The Billionaire Kidnapper" because the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) believe he is one of the richest criminals in the kidnapping activities in Nigeria. In some of his operations, he made amounts of up to 1 million dollars. The Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria police force also described him as a very smart, crafty, and intelligent kidnapper having evaded arrest for four years even though he was on a most wanted list in three states (

Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...

Edo State Edo State, Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As of 2024, the state was ranked as the List of Ni ...

, and Anambra State). Onwuamadike was arrested in

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

during the weekend of 10–11 June 2017.

Trial

Onwuamadike is undergoing trial on 52 charges of multiple murders, armed robberies, kidnappings, unlawful possession of firearms, unlawful possession of ammunition, conspiracy, among other charges. Specifically, he is being charged of unlawful capture of Uche Okereafor in Festac area of Lagos State on 21 November 2017 and demand a ransom of $2million. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, Onuamadike contravened sections 409 and 269 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011. As of March 2021, his trial was still pending.

Conviction

On Friday, February 25, 2022, the Lagos state high court found Evans and two others guilty of kidnapping and conspiracy. In the ruling, the trial judge claimed "He showed no remorse in the dock and tried to lie his way out of the crimes despite the video evidence". Evans was thereafter sentenced to life imprisonment.

References

External links

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The Guardian (Nigeria) ''The Guardian'' is a Nigerian independent daily newspaper, established in 1983, published by Guardian Newspapers Limited in Lagos, Nigeria. History ''The Guardian'' was established in 1983 by Alex Ibru, an entrepreneur, and Stanley Macebuh, ...

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Living people Nigerian kidnappers Year of birth missing (living people) {{Nigeria-bio-stub