In a landmark judgment, an Akwa Ibom State High Court has handed down the death penalty to four members of a violent kidnapping syndicate for the abduction and murder of a prominent businessman.
The Judgment and the Convicts
Justice Archibong Archibong of the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo delivered the verdict on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. After a one-hour judgment, the judge found the four defendants guilty of all charges, stating that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court ordered that Marvelous Ndah (38), Anthony Anthony Akpan (37), Aniema Eshiet (34), and Onyebule Gift Ogbonna (41) be executed by hanging. They were convicted for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of Mr. Chijioke Anyanwu, the proprietor of Jon KAMSY Supermarket in Ikot Abasi.
Justice Archibong expressed hope that the judgment would serve as a strong deterrent to others involved in or contemplating similar violent crimes.
Details of the Gruesome Crime
The court heard that the convicts were part of a notorious nine-man kidnapping gang that terrorized residents of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom and neighboring communities in Rivers State.
On January 25, 2016, the gang abducted Mr. Anyanwu, an Anambra State-born businessman, right in front of his residence in Ikot Abasi. Despite his family paying a ransom of N3 million, the kidnappers killed him while he was in their custody.
His body was buried in a shallow grave at Ikot Iyire, Edemaya, Ikot Abasi. The remains were discovered and exhumed about four months later, after which he was given a proper burial in his hometown of Agulu, Anambra State. He was survived by his 32-year-old widow and four children.
A Pattern of Terror: The Gang's Other Victims
Evidence presented in court revealed that this was not an isolated incident. The same gang was responsible for the abduction of Mrs. Jewel Emem Thomas, a lecturer at Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), on April 16, 2016.
She was taken from her residence along Ikpetim Road in Ikot Abasi around 2 a.m. Her husband pleaded with the kidnappers to take him instead, but they refused. The gang later collected a N2 million ransom in Port Harcourt before releasing her on Ibekwe Road, giving her a mere N80 for transport home.
Investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS) led to the arrest of Marvelous Ndah on April 26, 2016. His confession was pivotal, leading to the arrest of other gang members and unraveling their extensive criminal network.
Confessions and Criminal Operations
In his statements, Ndah admitted to collecting N400,000 as his share from the Anyanwu ransom and participating in at least four kidnapping operations in 2016. His criminal resume included the abduction of a UBA staff member, a petroleum marketer, and a former councilor, Mr. Emmanuel Obot Inam.
Anthony Akpan confessed to providing intelligence for kidnappings, including monitoring police movements during the AKSU lecturer's abduction, for which he received N120,000. Aniema Eshiet admitted to guarding the kidnapped lecturer for five days and collecting N125,000.
The court also discharged and acquitted two other defendants, Uche Success Nwokocha and Chidi Christian Nwokoma, due to a lack of credible evidence linking them to the crime.
This judgment brings a measure of closure to one of the most horrifying kidnapping cases in Ikot Abasi, sending an unequivocal message about the consequences of violent crime in Akwa Ibom State.
