Three of Evans' suspected accomplices released on bail by Yaba Magistrates Court

FEARS that notorious kidnapper Chukwudem Onwamadike popularly known as Evans might be getting away lightly with his horrendous crime have grown over the last few days after a Yaba Magistrates Court granted three of his suspected accomplices bail.

Earlier this month, Evans, 36, was arrested by the police in his palatial mansion in the Magodo area of Lagos, bringing to an end years of pursuit. Evans, who dropped out of school in Junior Secondary School Two and confessed to have once collected a $1m ransom fee, was Nigeria's most notorious kidnapper, who masterminded the abduction of public officials, expatriates and rich businessmen and women.

Since his arrest however, it is believed that despite his numerous public pleas for clemency, Evans has not been opening up well to interrogators about his accomplices although he was said to have mentioned one name. Although details of the disclosure are still sketchy, sources said investigators are seriously looking into the information he has provided.

Three of the suspects who were earlier detained before Evans was arrested, were granted bail by a Yaba Magistrate Court, sparking fears that they may be let off. Kingsley Egbeonu, Emeka Egbuligha and Tochukwu Nwosu, all staff of Maydon Pharmacy in Ilupeju, whose owner, Chief Dona Dunu, escaped from Evans’ kidnappers den at Igando, were accused of masterminding the kidnap of their boss.

They were subsequently arrested after their boss escaped and narrated his sordid experiences while in captivity. Chief Dunu who parted with a huge ransom of N150m, reportedly alleged that while in the den of his abductors, he heard the voice one of the pharmacists under his employ, discussing with the kidnappers.

He further alleged that his abductors, while negotiating for ransom, revealed vital information about his company known only to his workers and that he also overheard them discussing how to remove goods from his warehouse not knowing that he would survive to disclose their identities. Based on these allegations, police investigators swung into action and arrested three of his staff, remanding them in their custody after getting a court order.

After the arrest of Evans and his subsequent parade at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, an identification parade was carried out and both Evans and other members of his gang said they did not know the three staff of the pharmaceutical company. Furthermore, a search at the company's warehouse showed that nothing was tampered with contrary to earlier claims by the victim that he overheard one of the suspects discussing with his abductors how to part with his goods.

Following this, their lawyers went to the Yaba Magistrate Court to vacate the police detention order placed on their heads. While the accused workers were jubilating over their freedom, their estranged boss was gnashing his teeth, lamenting that the police not only failed to provide him with security after he escaped from kidnapper’s den but also did not do a good job following up on the case.