Alaba Market Big Boy, Azu, Caught In Kidnap Operation

Not all that glitters are gold, according to our elders. One of the big boys in the
popular Alaba Int'l Market in Lagos, Azuoma Nwabugoh, popular known as Azu,
has been arrested along with members of his kidnap gang who are also apprentice
boys in his shops.
“My boss (Azu) brought the guns and we went to kidnap the victim. My boss
drove the man to an undisclosed place in the man’s jeep while I followed in
another car.
“It was when my boss returned to Lagos that he gave me the victim’s vehicle
to sell to Arinze. Arinze gave me N50,000 and I handed it over to my boss.
My boss then gave me N30,000.”
This is the confession of one of Azu's apprentice, while owning up to the crime. He
confirmed that it was him and Azu that executed the kidnapping. But Azu is crying
and denying.
Men of the Lagos State Police Command recently smashed a kidnapping syndicate
in the Okokomaiko area of the state led by popular Alaba Market big boy, Azu.
Police authorities gave the names of the suspects as:
Azuoma Nwabugoh, Chimobi Onuoha, Moses Okoh, Nwachukwu Nwandike and
Michael Arinze.
The suspects were arrested after policemen attached to Ilemba Hausa Division
recovered a vehicle belonging to a kidnap victim, Obinna Okpara, who was locked
inside a toilet for over one week . After kidnapping the victim, Azu and his boys
allegedly sold the car to one Michael Arinze.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said:
“On August 8, 2013, around 8.45pm, one Obinna Okpara was kidnapped in front
of his house at Awka in Anambra State. He was released on September 9, 2013,
after a ransom was paid.
“His vehicle was, however, traced to the house of one Michael Arinze at Etegbin
Road, Ajangbadi, Lagos. Upon interrogation, Arinze said he bought the vehicle from
one of the suspects.
“He said the vehicle, a black Toyota RAV4 with registration number, ABN 42 AA,
was sold to him for N800,000, adding that he paid N50,000 as down payment.”
Azu and his boy have been transferred to SARS. But Azu is claiming innocence,
saying police should allow him go back home to his pregnant wife and three
children.
“All these allegations against me are false. I don’t know the victim. I am a trader
at Alaba Market and most of the suspects you see are my apprentices,” he said.