The police at the Police Officers Mess, Yenagoa Bayelsa State, have paraded John Lyon Ewa, the suspected kidnap kingpin recently arrested in Abuja.

He was arrested by operatives of Operation Puff Adder in Abuja.

He was ssid to be shedding tears and pleading for mercy, upon his arrest, saying he had only kidnapped people twice.

It was gathered that John Ewa changed name to John Lyon when he was a dispatch rider at a commercial bank after he was sacked due alleged involvement in criminal activities at the bank.

Parading the suspect and his accomplices Monday, the Commissioner of Police, said that on December 8, one Akeeb Oladele Olushola ‘m’ 48, manager of a new generation bank, was kidnaped at his residence at Old Commissioners Quarters, Opolo, last year. 

He was released on 12th December after paying ransom of N80 million.

He also said, one Danjuma Omeje, 41, manager of another new generation bank in Yenagoa was kidnaped at his residence at Okaka, Yenagoa, on 30th June 2022. 

He equally later released on 14th July after paying ransom of N60 million in N30 million and US Dollar equivalent of N30 million.

The Commissioner said following detailed investigation, the ring-leader of the kidnap syndicate, Emmanuel Charles Angase ‘m’ 37 years, native of Azuzuama Community, Southern-Ijaw LGA, was arrested.

The police boss said Angase operates a kidnapping camp at Sunikiri creek near Oluasiri in Nembe Local Government Area with his second-in-command, one Gbalipre Gamage, now at large. 

He further said that Police operatives recovered a brand new Toyota Avalon he bought for his wife with the proceed of the ransom he collected.

“The gang-leader, one Emmanuel Charles Angase, has confessed that on 30th June, 2022 at about 0600 hours, himself, John Ewa and others at large accosted Danjuma Omeje at the entrance of his house at Okaka, kidnapped him and fled in a blue Toyota Corolla car with Reg No KJA 225 AY,” the police boss said.

He mentioned that the second suspect, John Ikechukwu Ewa ‘m’ 30 years (aka John Lion), a native of Eruan community in Boki LGA, Cross River State, is known for his flamboyant lifestyle on social media. 

He said Ewa is a former cleaner in a new generation bank, and has confessed to having collected $10,000 from the ransom collected in the kidnap of Danjuma Omeje.

See photos below:

The suspected kidnap kingpins have been on the wanted list of the police for various alleged abductions in the state.

It was learnt that the police trailed Ewa, who goes by the alias ‘Lion’, to Abuja where they nabbed him on Saturday.

In a six-second clip that trended on social media at the weekend, Ewa, dressed in his pyjamas, was seen displaying few notes of foreign currency saying, “Get money for this life, hustle, hustle.”