The Nigerian Police paraded the remains of the notorious kidnapper and robber, Henry Chibueze, also known as Vampire at the police headquarters in Owerri on Thursday.
The police also revealed at the same time the mind chilling killings carried out by the gangster and his followers.
According to the police, Vampire, by his own admission, had killed over 200 people, beginning from wiping out his girlfriend and eight members of her family in Lagos.
“He had earlier confessed to the murder of his girlfriend, Sandra and eight members of her family, among them six children in Lagos State.
“He alleged that the girlfriend stole his N45 million share of N110 million ransom paid by the family of one of his victims in Omoku, Rivers State,” said CSP Jimoh Moshood, the Force headquarter spokesman.
The police described Vampire as a cultist who later turned into a vicious and dangerous kidnapper and armed robber.
He was first declared wanted in 2013.
Police said he was responsible for many cases of kidnappings, robberies, murder of notable and prominent personalities in Imo and other South Eastern and South-South States.
“He is a serial killer who also confessed to have killed over 200 people in various kidnappings and armed robbery attacks.
“He claimed responsibility for the murder of the following persons; Placid Ejimadu (Nze Ji Obi), Jonathan Ibemere aka gwuogwuo and Livinus Iwumune all natives of Agbaja Nwangele Local Government in Imo.’’
Police said Vampire also killed a member of the Imo State House of Assembly at Orji in 2015, and murdered the wife of the traditional ruler of Mbaise in 2015. The woman’s corpse had not been seen till date.
Others were the kidnap and murder of a man from Malaysia at First Bank, World Bank Branch, Owerri, and killing of three members of a family, including a woman from Nkwere in 2012 after collecting ransom from the family.
Also, presented to newsmen were five members of his gang, Obinna Elah, 26, from Orlu and Vampire’s second in command.
Others were Arinze Abecheta, 24, from Okohia, Isiala Mbano Local Government and Chukwuebuka Ikeazota, 23, and Samuel Ugochukwu, 24, both from Arochukwu in Abia
The sixth suspect, and the fifth caught alive, was Clifford Aheana from Omu Awa in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers.
Police said they recovered five AK 47 rifles, 300 rounds of AK 47 ammunition from the gang, while charms were also recovered from the body of Vampire.
The gang members were arrested by 1 a.m on Thursday by a special police squad after a gun battle at Omu Awa Forest in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers.
“The Police Special Forces working under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, swooped on the hideout of Henry Chibueze aka ‘Vampire’ and his gang and engaged them in fierce gun battle that lasted several hours.
“This operation was successfully carried out as the dreaded, vicious and kidnap for ransom and armed robbery kingpin, Chibueze died during the shootout with the Police Special Forces and all the other suspects mentioned above were arrested and the exhibits listed recovered from them.
NAN reports that Chibueze was rescued by his criminal cohorts from the Owerri High Court premises on Jan. 27, while in the custody of Officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service.
The police said the living members of the ‘Vampire’ gang have made useful statement, confessing and admitting to have carried out four successful kidnap operations after the rescue of their gang leader at the Owerri High Court premises on Jan. 27.
They will all be charged to court on completion of investigation, Moshood said.
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