46-year-old arms dealer, Godwin Chinyere, believed to have sold the firearms, ammunition and rocket launchers used by suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Owuamadike, alias Evans in his operations, has been arrested by the Nigerian police.
The arrest came 2 years after Evans confessed to using some rocket launchers and AK-47 rifles in his operation, during interrogation. The first manhunt to apprehend Chinyere was not successful, as he went into hiding after the billionaire kidnapper’s arrest. He however came out of hiding when he thought the police had stopped looking for him, but was unaware that the hunt for him was still on. He was trailed to Asaba Delta State, where he was hiding and apprehended.
The native of Obingwa area of Abia State admitted selling five Ak-47 rifles to Evans. He also revealed that he began selling and making firearms in 1990, after he dropped out of primary school following his parents’ inability to pay his school fees. Chinyere reportedly learnt how to make local guns from his boss, one late Chinaka Nnawakwo, who he said have been killed by security operatives for gun-running.
“I learned how to make locally made guns from a village known as Abala and I was one chinaka Nnawakwo and that thought me the job. I spent three years learning the job before I started making my own. I have several customers who were gun runners coming to buy guns from me in large quantities. I usually sell locally made double barrel guns for the sum of N10,000 and the single barrel was sold for N6,000, while the locally short guns were sold for N10,000.
“One of customers, Samuel Nwakpa, who was coming from the Kaduna State to buy guns from me, was the person who linked me to big arms dealers in Chad and Niger republic. They were the people supplied me the five Ak-47 rifles I sold to Evans which he used for his bank robbery and kidnapping activities. I met Evans when he came to my village to treat his bullet wound and his native doctor Eyinaya Hearth, linked him to me.
“I knew he was using it for armed robbery and for kidnapping. Evans paid me the sum of N1.7million for the five Ak-47 rifles after they were supplied to me in Chad. The rifles were concealed in bags of fish and I took my commissions and gave the rest of the money to Nwapka, who also supplied the rocket launchers to Evans.
“Before Evans was arrested, I have stopped doing the business and I and turned a new leaf, but I fled and went into hiding when he was arrested because I knew he was going to mention my name to the police and I don’t even know that the police still looking for me when I came out of hiding and I was arrested. I warned Evan to stop kidnapping when I turned a new leaf but he wouldn’t listen to me.” He lamented.
