Jubilation as Vampire ,dies in gun battle with police

 THERE was jubilation yesterday in Imo State, when
leader of the most dreaded kidnap gang in the country, Henry
Chibueze, popularly called Vampire, was killed during a gun
battle between his gang and opera-tives of the Inspector
General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, in the
 early hours of yesterday, in Omu Awa Forest, Ikwerre Local
Government Area in Rivers State.

A police Sergeant attached to the IRT, Abia State, sustained
multiple bullet wounds.

Five suspected members of his gang, including his
 Second-in-Command, Obinna Elah, 26, a native of Orlu, 
Imo State, were arrested at the end of the gun battle.

Other suspects arrested were Arinze Abecheta, 24, from Ohafia in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area; Chukwu
 Ebuka Ikeazota, 23, from Ohohia village, Isiala Mbano area, both in Imo State; Samuel Ugochukwu, 24, from Ezisno 
village, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State 
and Clifford Aheana of Omu Awa village.

Three of them, who sustained bullet wounds, are reportedly
being treated at an undisclosed hospital, with the injured
policeman.

Several AK-47 rifles and a cache of ammunition and
 expended shells of bullets were recovered in the forest
 used by the kidnappers as hideout.

Earlier rescued by members

Recall that late Vampire was earlier arrested in 2015 and
 had been in prison custody, following the kidnap of the
 wife of a government official and was paraded by 
Department of State Services, DSS, before the state 
governor then, where heconfessed  to have carried out several kidnappings in the state and beyond before his arrest.

After Chibueze’s escape in January, when his gang 
members spirited him away from the premises of an
 Owerri high court, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo 
State announced a N5 million bounty for information
 that would lead to his arrest.

Irked by the recklessness of the gang, the IG, Ibrahim Idris,
directed the IRT to go on a massive manhunt for the 
notorious kidnap gang.

Led by its Commander, Abba Kyari, an Assistant
Commissioner of Police, the team, as gathered, traced the
kidnappers to a forest in Omu Awa in Ikwerre area of Rivers
State.

Police sources hinted that: “With Technical Intelligence Support from TIU, at about 1.30a.m. yesterday, Vampire, whose  gang members have been responsible for the death
 of several Nigerians, was shot dead.

“The arrested suspects confessed to have successfully
rescued Vampire from the Imo high court in January. They also confessed to have executed four successful kidnappings after the rescue of their gang leader.”.

Parading Vampire’s partners in crime, the Force Public
Relations Officer, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent,
disclosed that the exhibits recovered from the suspects
included five AK-47 assault rifles, 300 rounds of AK-47
ammunition. He said charms were also recovered from the
body of the deceased Vampire.

According to Moshood, “if you recall, Vampire was rescued
 by his colleagues in crime at the Owerri High Court premises. The Inspector General’s special forces tracked him down to a
village in the forest in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“On sighting the police, they opened fire and exchange of
gunfire ensued. Vampire was gunned down in the process.
 He had earlier confessed to the murder of his girlfriend, Sandra, and eight members of her family, including six children in Lagos State.

“He alleged that his girlfriend stole his N45 million, share of
N110 million ransom paid by the family of one of his victims 
in Omoku, Rivers State.”

Vampire was also described as “a serial killer, who also
confessed to have killed over 200 in various kidnappings and
robbery attacks.”

The Inspector General, Ibrahim Idris, who was in Lagos to 
flag off a bi-annual training of policemen yesterday,
 confirmed the arrest, stating that the Force would not 
rest on its oars until acts of criminality were checkmated in the country.

Meanwhile, residents of Owerri in Imo State, went into jubilation yesterday, as the Imo State Police Command 
moved the lifeless body of Vampire round the major 
streets of the municipality.

Traffic was held up for hours at several points in Owerri, 
as the police convoy glided through the ever busy Bank
 Road, Douglas Road, Wetheral Road and back to the State Police Headquarters.

The show attracted a large crowd to the police premises.

Some residents, who spoke to press, commended 
the police and other security agencies for not only going
 after the fleeing Vampire , but also silencing him for life
 and capturing his acolytes.

Reacting to what he called “this cheering news,” an Owerri-
based architect, Chief Amaugo Ugorji, commended the security agencies for “completing this wonderful operation
 in record time and for the good of the citizenry.”

Ugorji reasoned that it would have been better to capture 
him alive, so as to get more information from the deadly hoodlum, adding that the police should ensure that they extract as much information from Vampire’s acolytes as possible.

“This may ultimately lead to the arrest of other criminals,
 who are presently hiding in several states,” Ugorji said.

A woman, speaking to Vampire’s lifeless body, said: “You
 killed my relatives. Look at you now; you will go to hell fire.”

Another young man suggested that the police high 
command should promote all its personnel that took part in the operation, adding “that is one sure way to embolden and encourage others to serve diligently, patriotically and selflessly.

“To some extent, we can now have a good sleep.”