Article | Nollywood actor who kidnapped female banker is Christ Embassy music director

Few days ago, a self-acclaimed Nollywood movie actor was arrested by operatives of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, Adeniji Adele, Lagos, for his role in the robbery and kidnap of a female banker at the Festac area of the state.

The Enugu State born suspect who gave his name as Edward Nnaji, told the police during interrogation that he acted in movies like The Eves, Friday Night, Witches Club, Palace Club and Mountain High.

But more revelations have continued to spew out of him as he has also confessed that he was also the music director at Christ Embassy Church, Zone 1, Idimangoro Parish, Agege, Lagos.

The 25-year-old Nnaji, alongside two of his alleged accomplices, 23-years-old Osas Osagie, from Ogbe village, Oredo local government area of Edo State and Patrick Donatus Jackson, 29, who resides at 13, Famuyiwa Street, Idimangoro, Agege, and hails from Akwa Ibom State, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and robbing a female banker, Popoola Morenikeji, and collected the sum of N5 million as ransom before they set her free.

According to the PM News, the suspects kidnapped the victim at Amuwo Odofin area of Festac, Lagos, close to her residence, when she stepped out of her vehicle to buy something and took her to an uncompleted building in a bush at Mowe area of Ogun State.

There, they tied her legs and hands and kept her for four days until a ransom of N5 million was paid by her family before they set her free.

The suspects, according to the police, also sold the victim’s Toyota Corolla car valued at N1.8 million for N250,000 to one David Nwangboe. They also sold all the jewellery and handsets of the victim valued at N2 million and shared the loot.

However, nemesis caught up with the actor turned criminal when the gang regrouped with others and sent a threat to life text message to the victim to send N150,000 into their account for recharge card, with a warning that if she failed to send the money, they will trail her this time around and eliminate her.

The banker immediately sent a petition to the Inspector general of Police after receiving the messages and the police swung into action and after a painstaking investigation, fished out the suspects in their hideouts in Lagos and Edo States.

During interrogation, all the suspects allegedly confessed to the crime with Nnaji confessing that a certain Jek who is still on the run, masterminded the kidnapping.

Hear Nnaji:

"Jek brought the information that there was a woman that has money but she was very selfish and that he will want us to assist him kidnap her and collect money from her. One of us, Patrick, a private driver, provided his master’s car with which we trailed the victim to her street at Amuwo Odofin Estate, Mile 2, Lagos, and kidnapped her.

We blindfolded her and took her to an uncompleted building at Mowe area of Ogun State and kept her and contacted her family to pay the sum of N5 million as ransom or else we will kill her.

The family paid N1.5m and not N5m as claimed by the victim and the police and we released her, but we did not allow the victim to suffer while in our custody as we fed her with rice and chicken throughout the four days she spent with us.

My worry now is that I don’t know how the devil pushed me again two years after we committed the crime to threaten the victim again for more money before we were arrested.

God has blessed me as I am the director of music at the Christ Embassy Zone 1 Parish, Idimangoro, Lagos, and also an actor who played a prominent role in a film titled Friday Night which gave me fame and fortune. I promise to change if I am set free."

The suspects have been charged before an Igbosere Magistrates’ court, on a four-count charge of felony to wit, armed robbery. The offenses the police prosecutor, Supol Charles Odii said, are punishable under section 6 b, 1, 2(A) and b of the Robbery and Firearms Act and sections 269(1)(2)(3) and 270 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.