Kidnap, Terror Kingpin Bags Life Jail In Akwa Ibom

For Justice Joy Unwana of the Akwa Ibom State Judiciary, and family, justice has finally been done, as a notorious kidnap and terror kingpin, who kidnap her and shot his police orderly dead, has been Jailed for life.

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, the state capital and headed by Justice Chigozie  Sergius, sentenced the 30-year-old convict, Nkereuwem Felix Effiong, to life imprisonment for his role in the abduction of Justice Unwana.

The particulars of the case stated that Effiong, a native of Ikot Ekwere village in Ibesikpo Asutan local government area, was convicted on three of the four-count charge bothering on conspiracy, membership of a terrorist group and kidnapping under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Justice Joy Unwana was abducted on 18th December, 2023, alongside her driver, Idorenyin Ekanem, at about 8pm along Okobo–Esuk Inwang–Ndon Ebom Road, while returning to Uyo, from her station in Oron.

The Department of State Services (DSS), it was gathered, prosecuted the matter, but the defendant had no legal representation, prompting the court to assign the matter to the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria in line with the provisions of the law.

However, Effiong pleaded guilty to all four count charges preferred against him, and the court entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf in respect of count three, the kidnapping charge, owing to “the grave nature of the offence and the severity of the punishment attached to it.”

In his confessional statement tendered in evidence, Effiong admitted joining the gang, also referred to as “Bling Bling Marine Strike Force,” in November 2023 through a friend identified as Joseph, alias Akpa.

He told investigators that the gang operated across Uyo, Uruan, Nsit Atai, Udung Uko, Okobo and Oron LGA, admitting participating in three kidnapping operations, including the abduction of Justice Unwana.

According to him, the gang received N25 million as ransom for the judge’s release, and that he personally received N300,000 as his share.

He also admitted involvement in the kidnapping of a pastor of The Apostolic Church in Oron and another victim whose family paid N5 million for his release.

“We don’t use to cover our face.  Before the woman judge was released, we received the sum of N25m as ransom from her family. My own share from the ransom was N300,000.

“My second operation was the one where we kidnapped an Apostolic Church pastor in Oron. I don’t know how much was paid before he was released, but I was paid the sum of one hundred thousand Naira as my own share of the ransom.

“I also participated in another operation where we kidnapped a man whom the family later paid us the sum N5 million and I was given the sum of N50, 000, as my share from the ransom.

“We usually use mini bus to carry out our operations. We also used to rob the locals and fishermen to make money,” Effiong recalled.

However, luck ran out of Effiong, and he was arrested on 4th July, 2024, along Ikot Ekpene Road in Uyo by operatives of the DSS operatives following months of investigation into the gang’s activities.

Delivering judgment, Justice Sergius, found Effiong guilty on counts one, two, and three, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court, therefore, sentenced him to 25 years imprisonment on count one (conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism); 20 years imprisonment on count two (membership of a terrorist group); and life imprisonment on count three (kidnapping).

On count four, which bordered on concealment of information, the court discharged and acquitted the defendant.