Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Cross River commissioner’s aide regrets plotting kidnap; says boss owes many months’ salary

Making his confessions while being paraded in Calabar on Thursday, Mr Ibangha, 22, said he planned to commit the crime out of greed and frustration.

• February 2, 2023
Mr Ibangha and his conspirators
Mr Ibangha and his conspirators

Maurice Ibangha has pleaded for mercy after police in Cross River foiled his plot to kidnap his boss, Peter Egba.

Mr Egba is the state’s Commissioner for Commerce and Industry.

Making his confessions while being paraded in Calabar on Thursday, Mr Onanuga, 22, said he planned to commit the crime out of greed and frustration.

“I did this out of greed even though my boss sometimes owes me up to four months’ salary; I had no reason to do what I did. I plead for his forgiveness,” he told reporters who interviewed him at the police headquarters.

Mr Ibangha said he planned the kidnap with three others, including the commissioner’s driver before the police foiled the move.

He expressed readiness to do anything to be forgiven by his boss.

Mr Ibangha and his conspirators were paraded along with 16 others arrested for various crimes.

Others paraded were arrested for armed robbery, cultism and illegal possession of firearms, murder and vandalism.

Among the suspects was Eyo Etim, 49, who allegedly abducted, murdered and dumped the body of his victim in a septic tank at Offiong Ambai community in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River.

Commissioner of Police, Sule Balarabe, said Etim committed the crime with other persons still at large.

Mr Balarabe said one AK47 rifle, three locally-made pistols, one G3 rifle, seven locally-made single-barrel guns, one walkie talkie, one live cartridge, three empty cartridges, charms and hard drugs were recovered from the suspects. 

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Adebo Ogundoyin

States

School Abduction: Oyo Assembly backs Gov Makinde’s call for international investigation 

The lawmaker cautioned the public and the Nigerian Senate against misinterpreting the purpose of the state governor’s call for an international investigation.

Minister of Foriegn Affairs Yusuf Tuggar

Politics

Tuggar group rejects Bauchi APC governorship candidate Mohammed Abubakar

He dismissed Mr Abubakar’s declaration as a governorship candidate, alleging that there were no governorship primaries in the state.

The Spanish team after the semi-final match

Hot news Home top

Oyarzabal, Porro score as Spain beat France to reach World Cup final 

Spain will face the winner of the second semi-final match between England and Argentina on Sunday. 

PenCom

Economy

PenCom cuts pension approvals to 48 hours, recovers N36 billion arrears

She said the 48-hour approval timeline had become a mandatory service standard binding on all PFAs.

Released Oyo hostages

Heading 5

Freed Oyo pupils, teachers reunite with families

The pupils and teachers reunited with their families on Tuesday.

Olatubosun Oluyede

NationWide

DHQ engages military veterans on welfare, national service

He said the welfare of retired personnel remained one of the top priorities of the DHQ under the current leadership.