Thread by @iam_alfred1

My recent piece on criminal justice

SPECIAL REPORT: Four years after kidnap of toddler, suspects ‘shielded’, justice delayed

The trauma started in January 2015, when a two years old, Chisimdiri Obilor, was kidnapped from his parents' residence in Aba.

premiumtimesng.com/investigations…

On that fateful day, January 15, 2015, Mr Chidubem, a stranger to the family, came to the Obilors’ residence to ask if there were vacant rooms for rent. Mrs Obilor responded that there was none.

Mr Chidubem was later reached through his line the second day. He demanded a Ransom

Responding to his demand, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the woman paid N322,000 at different intervals to get her child from the abductor.

Alas! He did not release the boy.

In January 2016, a year after the abduction, the culprit was tracked via his cousin’s account number, through which Mrs Obilor sent money.

He was arrested and remanded in the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the @PoliceNG Command in Umuahia, the Abia St. Capital

After arrest, Mr Chidubem confessed to selling the child to a self-acclaimed Reverend Father, Johnmary Ihuneze, who operates an orphanage in Anambra State.

They were arraigned.

After the supposed cleric was granted bail in December 2018, he failed to attend court six times.

He was released on bail after spending almost a year in police custody. Mr Chidubem is being remanded in Aba prisons as he awaits trial.

A judiciary staffer privy to the case alleged that the police deliberately delayed in filling the case to seek the DPP's advice.

On August 6, this reporter disguised as the uncle of the victim alongside Mrs Obilor to visit Mr Chidubem in the prison custody.

He promised to help get the reverend father and the victim “if the family decides to withdraw the case.”

He said he still speaks with “other suspects” even from prison and explained “that they have all been business partners for years.”

“...The assistant @PoliceNG commissioner requested bribe for me to be freed. If I had paid the N800,000, I won’t be here,” he said.

On March 13, 2019, a petition was sent to the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon, seeking his intervention.

Meanwhile, this reporter gathered that nothing has been done since.

*Inside Reverend Johnmary's orphanage*

Since the disappearance of Mr Ihuneze, the person in charge of the orphanage, identified as Ms Ijeoma, has refused to grant anyone connected with the case, access to the facility.

Ms Ijeoma told anyone who inquired about the reverend that he'd travelled & she no longer works thr

Several attempts to get the orphanage’s address were unsuccessful.

However, this reporter decided to go undercover.
He began communicating with Ms Ijeoma in July about ”how his (NGO) organisation wants to supply the needs of the orphanage”.

After failed attempts to get the exact address, this reporter in the company of the victim’s father, who disguised as the communications officer of the non-existent NGO, set out to Nkpor, a town in Anambra State in August.

It was at this point that she opened up nd directed the reporter to the said orphanage. She stood at a vantage point, monitoring the movement of the team.
The orphanage, named Mary’s Perpetual Help Foundation/Children’s Home, is situated along Umusiome road, Nkpor Agu, Anambra St

When this reporter later unveiled his identity, denied working in the orphanage and said she'd left the place three years ago.

However, when confronted with evidence that she welcomed the reporter during the visit, she said; “I used to come there sometimes but I have left...

PREMIUM TIMES found out that the foundation has a website mphfoundation.org.ng and a controversial CAC registration. The address there is not the home's location.

All contacts available on the website did not answer the calls of the reporter after the encounter with Ms Ijeoma

The Reverend father was eventually reached through a different phone and he responded. After confirming his identity, he ended the call when this reporter made known the reason for the call.

He, did not respond to calls and text messages about the court case and the orphanage.

The orphanage is fraudulent and the Obilors are crying for justice to prevail on the kidnap of the 2-year-old that took place 4 years ago.

@segalink @DrJoeAbah @thepamilerin @OgbeniDipo @PoliceNG @PoliceNG_CRU @RGAMeyer @IJNet @AmnestyNigeria @StephanieBusari

@PoliceNG have enough evidence to ensure that justice is served but they delay and demand for bribe is a great challenge. This is a video of the orphanage home in Anambra.

@OAU_General @nicholasibekwe @ayemojubar @Biisi96 @KadariaAhmed @GbemiDennis @segalink