Billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, has dragged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged illegal detention.
Joined as respondents in the motion he filed by his lawyers are the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.
In a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on his behalf by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, the suspected kidnapper is praying for the order of court to direct the respondents to immediately charge him to court if there is any case against him in accordance with Sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (b) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the alternative, he prayed the court for an order compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally in the absence of any offence that will warrant his being charged to court.
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Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, is advocating for the imposition of death sentence on convicted kidnappers as a deterrent for others who might want to embark on the heinous crime in future.
The IGP, speaking at a dialogue session he held with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the umbrella of Situation Room, in Abuja on Friday, said the case of recently apprehended kidnap kingpin, Chukwudidumeme Onuamadike, a.k.a Evans, should be used to set an example.
Idris lamented that Evans “has changed the face of kidnapping in this country”, saying the fact that he collected $1million ransom on six different occasions, was enough to lure some youths into the evil act.
The police boss stated that the existing laws on kidnapping needed to be reviewed to ensure stiffer punishment for culprits.
“We should start looking at punishment and the possibility of establishing special courts to address issues of kidnapping.
“On daily basis we are arresting hundreds of suspects. We should look for a way to review our laws and impose sanctions like we have in some states like Anambra, Lagos, Kano and Imo.
“We need to review those punishments, we should have a time frame for conclusion of trial of suspects.