Nnewi – As the criminal exploits of billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike popularly called Evans, continue to reverberate around the world, Madam Margret Onwuamadike, his grandmother, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians to forgive him and send him to Prophet T. B. Joshua of the Church of All Nations for deliverance.

 

The aged grandma claimed that her grandson did all his kidnapping exploits under the influence of evil forces.

 

Speaking with Independent in their Umuezeadu Umuogo Akamili village Umudim Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Tuesday, the 80-year-old woman said the Evans she knew “was meek, gentle and cannot hurt a fly,” noting that she was bemused when she heard that he was into crime.

 

“I am the mother of Mr. Stephen Onwuamadike, the father of Evans. I took care of Evans and his other siblings when their mother abandoned them, I fed them then with my little petty trading business; I knew him as a boy that was humane, meek, humble and respectful to his elders. His dad and I tried to train him and his siblings in Christian way and in the fear of God. I still find it difficult to believe what I am hearing.

 

“Please help me to beg President Buhari and other government officials to have mercy on him; let them send him to Prophet T.B. Joshua; he is under the influence of some evil forces. Please I want them to spare his life. I assure them he will change after the deliverance,” said.

 

Also speaking on Evans, Chief Edwin Oduonye, Obi Ezeadu Ogo of Akamili village Umudim Nnewi, who is the traditional head of Onwuamadike home village, said Madam Onwuamadike is his wife elder sister and that his grandfather was the one who gave the Onwuamadike family the land where they built their house.

 

He also said that he knew as a boy who was easy going and with good character, pointing out that his father brought him up with Christian principle, adding that he was convinced that whatever crime committed was learnt from bad friends.

 

The traditional ruler said there was a time Evans’ father had a misunderstanding with his wife leading the woman to desert the family, adding that she later on came back.

 

Oduonye said Evans’ father took care of him and his siblings very well and put them in good schools, adding Evans dropped out of school and vanished to unknown place. He explained that Evans rarely came back to the village.

 

Comment on Evans, Mr. Lawrence Onwuka, a retired teacher, who is the chairman of Ezeadu Ogo Kindred, Akamili Village, Umudim Nnewi, said he knew the kidnap kingpin when he was a small boy before he left the village, adding that since that time he hardly saw Evans in the village although he head he sometimes came in.

 

But Independent gathered from a kinsman of the Onwuamadikes, who is a trader at the auto spare parts market in Nkwo Nnewi, who said he is an age mate of Evans that the billionaire kidnapper started showing traces of crime at an early stage of life.

 

The auto parts dealer said that he was aware that Evans started with petty crimes like shop and house breaking in Nnewi.

 

He told Independent that most of Evans relatives knew that he was into crime and would not like to tell the truth.

 

Also, a resident in the village who gave his name as Jeremiah Ucha, an Abakaliki indigene, said he had lived in the village for some time and knew Stephen Onwuamadike, adding that many strange things had been happening in the family and that Evans’ father had been going to several prayer houses in search of solutions.

 

Ucha said that he was aware that Stephen Onwuamadike was very rich before everything he had collapsed, adding that the man was married to three wives.

 

He two of the wives had medical issues and one was barren while one who is a retired primary school teacher is partially insane.

 

Ucha claimed that Evans’ father knew what is wrong with his family and should seek a spiritual solution.

 

Independent further gathered that the celebrated kidnapper before dropping out of school had his nursery school education at Nnobi; primary school education at Emmanuel Anglican Church Primary School, secondary school education at Akamili Umudim Nnewi and Merchant of Light Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area where he later dropped out in J.S.S.3.