How Osisikankwu was killed

Details of how the dreaded kidnapper in Abia State, Obioma Nwankwo, a.k.a Osisikankwu, met his waterloo in the hands of soldiers have emerged . The kidnap kingpin, who hailed from Ugwuati in Ukwa West Local Government Area, was killed about 2.30 pm, on Sunday, as he was driving in company with three other suspected kidnappers, including a woman said to be his girlfriend, who was believed to have played ‘active’ and ‘supportive’ to his man when he held sway in Abia.

Two of the suspected kidnappers, simply identified as Polycarp and Chinedu, were killed alongside Osisikankwu while the girlfriend, identified simply as Ogochi, was arrested and is now helping the army in its investigations.

Giving details of how the kidnap kingpin was killed while addressing newsmen at Asa High School, the headquarters of the Special Task Force in Abia State, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major-General Sarki Yaki Bello, said Osisikankwu had kidnapped a man last week and taken him to his hideout in the evil forest at Ugwuati.

He said the man escaped from the camp and took refuge somewhere else. But the kidnap kingpin together with his gang, stormed the man’s house, but when they could not find the target, they kidnapped his wife, the four children and burnt his car and house. However, the man reported the incident to soldiers.

Bello said the army immediately swung into action and deployed soldiers who laid ambush on the road, they gathered, Osisikankwu normally plied.
For over one week, the soldiers laid ambush for the notorious kidnapper. The GOC said the ambush paid off on Sunday afternoon when Osisikankwu was accosted at a thick forest near the Obokwe market in company with three others.

The notorious kidnapper was said to have resisted arrest when he was cornered for questioning. He was said to have rather engaged the soldiers in a shootout, and in the cross fire, he was instantly killed together with Polycarp. The third, Chinedu, was, however, taken to the Military Hospital, Port Harcourt, where he later died of gunshot wound sustained during the encounter.

He urged those in the mould of Osisikankwu to surrender as there was no hiding place for them.
The assistant director public relations of the 82 Division took newsmen round some recovered items.