A lot has been written on the dramatic escape from the Owerri High Court premises, of the popular but notorious kidnapper and armed robbery kingpin, Henry Chibueze, also known as Vampire.

For the records, Vampire was arrested and paraded in July 2015 by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), over his involvement in series of armed robbery operations, kidnapping and murder cases. It is also on record that I did a very controversial article on the matter, wherein I disagreed with His Excellency Governor Rochas Okorocha on certain issues, purportedly involving the said Vampire. (Please google The Guardian Newspaper report on Sir Emenike Ihekwaba and Henry Chibueze (Vampire)). It was equally confirmed that Vampire had led over 200 successful kidnap operations across the country, and beyond. Also, he was alleged to have executed over 200 armed robbery operations across the country and beyond. Not relenting, Vampire is reportedly involved in over 200 murder cases across the country, and beyond.

The above allegations against Henry Chibueze, a native of Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State, naturally makes him a high-profile suspect that must not be handled with juvenile gloves. But unfortunately, the Imo State Judiciary, the Police in Imo, Prisons Arms Squad, the Army and, indeed, the larger society handled him with kid-gloves; and as a clever and smart guy, he exploited the lacuna created in the handling of his court case and made a great escape, to the shock of the whole world. The question any rational reader would ask is: What is Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha driving at? My response is as follows:

(1) It is an acknowledged and, indeed, notorious fact that Vampire reportedly operated a kidnap gang, even while at the Owerri Federal Prisons.

(2) It is an acknowledged and, indeed, notorious fact that he reportedly killed his girlfriend (Sandra Ijedinma) on February 16, 2013 and all members of her family, on the excuse that she diverted his N45 million kidnap ransom kept in her custody.

(3) It is an acknowledged and, indeed, notorious fact that Henry Chibueze, alias Vampire, having reportedly participated in many high profile crimes, has in excess of N2.5 billion liquid cash, both at his disposal and in custody of his boys scattered all over the nation.

(4) It is an acknowledged and, indeed, notorious fact that Vampire has under his command and control, well-armed boys as team members, across the country, and so on.

Yet, despite his so-called arrest by the DSS, arraignment in court, remand at the Owerri Federal Prisons, and constant appearances in court, security was reportedly relaxed around him. Let me at this point condemn the lackadaisical attitude and approach of the Imo State Judiciary, led by Hon Chief Justice Paschal Nnadi, as the Chief Judge. Ever since Justice Paschal Nnadi became the Chief Judge of Imo State two years ago, the Judiciary has gone on strike three consecutive times. The first strike lasted for almost three months. The second strike lasted for over two months. The third strike lasted over three months.

These strikes clearly affected trials of inmates of Owerri Federal Prisons, in that cases that would have ordinarily taken six months to adjudicate, would now take years to look into. Honestly, this judicial imbroglio signifies incompetence in the hands of the current leadership at the Judiciary, led by Justice Nnadi. Even when the courts are in session, corruption, long adjournments, truancy, absenteeism and, perhaps, deliberate manipulation of the judicial process, have been adopted to suffocate and, indeed, frustrate justice from having its way. The resultant effect is that cases that would ordinarily take eight months to adjudicate, now take years before they are concluded.

These lacunae in the judicial process are what the likes of Vampire exploited to their advantage. Let me be clear here; the lacunae as adumbrated above are what Henry Chibueze, alias Vampire, exploited to his advantage and openly executed his freedom, to the chagrin and astonishment of on-lookers on Friday January 27, 2017, at the premises of Imo State High Court, Owerri. Of course, this is in addition to the security lapses at the Owerri High Court.

Our security agencies should bow their heads in shame for the lapses they created, which made Vampire to execute his escape. Rather than find ways to contain the challenge of Vampire’s dramatic escape, these shameless security agencies are now trying to exonerate themselves.

For example, as soon as he escaped from the premises of the High Court in Owerri, I was quickly informed. I was the first person to break the news on the Internet (see attached). Shortly after the release of the breaking news, a very senior DSS official in the state called me to register his displeasure with the information I released on the Internet. He, however, defended the DSS, claiming that they had done their best by arresting and parading Vampire to the public in 2015, charging him to court and securing a remand for him at the Owerri Prisons, insisting that DSS should not be held responsible for the escape.

Honestly, I see this as a defeatist approach.

In June 2016, I wrote an article entitled Imo Judiciary, The Police And Awaiting Trial Inmates In Owerri Prisons. In the said article, I gave reasons why trial of inmates were and are still delayed. I also proffered solutions. If Justice Nnadi had acted on my proffered solutions, perhaps, Chibueze would not have brazenly executed his freedom. Perhaps, his case at the court would have come to a conclusion before now. Either he would have been discharged and acquitted or convicted. Honestly, Vampire has again proved he is a warrior. He has proved that there is no effective security network in Imo State. O yes, Vampire has thrown the entire security agencies in Imo State and, indeed Nigeria, in disarray. Just imagine! At the Owerri High Court, there is an armoured vehicle manned by Armed-to-the-teeth Soldiers, Armed Police men, Armed Civil Defence men, Armed Prisons Arms Squad, Armed Mobile Police men, Armed DSS officials, etc. Yet, Vampire executed his freedom through his obviously well-coordinated armed boys, who stormed the court premises in commando style. I am tempted to admire his courage. I am tempted to see him as a great man. Obviously, he is an Al-Capone.

A proof that Vampire is an Al-Capone was when DSS arrested and paraded him before newsmen in July 2015 at their Owerri office. When he was given the opportunity to speak to the press, Vampire not only confirmed his exploits in the underworld business, he reeled out the number of people he had kidnapped and killed. He confirmed his armed robbery operations. He added that since he had been arrested, he only needed to go to prison to ‘cool off’ a little bit, for one or two years; after which he would secure his freedom through his own means. DSS should check their records. The reading public can now confirm that Vampire only spent a year and five months in prison custody before securing his freedom, his own way. This is a mark of greatness.

Please permit me to digress a little bit here. I am, therefore, calling upon our corrupt traditional rulers to come together and crown Vampire, Ebubedike I of Igbo land. Our compromised ‘men of God should quickly induct Vampire into their order of knighthood. Our universities should as a matter of urgency offer him an honorary doctorate degree. Also, now that it has been confirmed that the Presidency is fighting crime and corruption with both “insecticides and deodorants’’, depending on who is involved (apologies to Senator Shehu Sani), I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to, without further delay, offer Chief Sir Dr. Vampire Henry Chibueze (Ebubedike 1 of Igbo land) a National Honour. (This is not a laughing matter).

It is very unfortunate. Our society has decayed to an abysmal level. Vampire is a product of our corrupt, decayed and rotten society. We have Vampire Henry Chibueze in every sector of the economy in this country. We have Vampire Henry Chibueze in the political class. We have Vampire Henry Chibueze in our so-called churches and mosques. We have Vampire Henry Chibueze in the Presidency, in the persons of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Lawal Babachir, and the Chief of Staff Mr Abba Kyari, according to reports.

Please forgive me for being cynical here. The point I am making is that our son and brother, Vampire Henry Chibueze, would have been a responsible and well-mannered man, if the leadership of this country (from 1960 till date) had done the right thing, by laying solid and enduring foundation in all sectors of our economy. Vampire could have been a good citizen if our leaders had fought poverty and unemployment effectively in the system. Vampire could have been a good man if our ‘men of God’ had done their work of bringing salvation and word of God to the people. Rather, what we have is prosperity preaching. And so on and so forth.

Let me at this point dismiss the insinuation in some quarters that the powers-that-be in the state may have a hand in Vampire’s bold escape. This is not true. Governor Rochas Okorocha is an adult and, as such, is aware of the security implications and consequences of setting Vampire free in a commando style. But, if he is careless, mannerless, unreasonable and, perhaps, stupid enough to do so, then history will not be fair to him. As I said earlier, Okorocha could not have done it. In short, he did not do it. Also, let me use this opportunity to caution some leaders in the state to desist from sending false information to my various e-mail addresses, wherein they explained or described the relationship between Okorocha and the notorious Vampire. If the information is not false, why can’t these so-called leaders be bold enough to come out on their own and expose such relationship? Any further of such stupid, hopeless and nonsensical message in the inbox of my various e-mail addresses will push me to make public such messages and the people behind them.

People should learn to respect themselves.

Lessons

The escape of Chibueze from the Owerri High Court premises is a big lesson to both the state and Federal Government. It is high time the independence of the Judiciary is respected. It is high time our magistrates and judges are given free hand and allowed to do their jobs without interference. Unnecessary adjournment of cases should be discouraged.

Also, government at all levels should ensure that security in our various courts in the land is beefed up, to forestall a recurrence of a similar episode of ‘Vampire Escape’.

Let me use this platform to caution our judges and magistrates: Accusing them of corruption, truancy, absenteeism and deliberate manipulation of judicial process is an understatement. They are, indeed, guilty of these allegations. Specifically, the Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon Justice Paschal Nnadi, should sit up and face his job squarely. His constant and habitual attitude of being absent in his court (High Court 1) will no longer be tolerated. I do not mean any insult here; but the truth must be told. Honestly, I have refrained from making public some “activities” going on in the Imo State Judiciary under the leadership of Justice Nnadi, due to my love for the state, and also in a bid to protect some interests. Justice Nnadi should sit up. Let me not say more than this. At least for now!

I have written a lot on the plights of ‘awaiting trial inmates’ in Owerri Prisons. Please google my article entitled ‘Challenges Facing Prison Inmates In Nigeria’, for details.

I will not conclude this piece without calling on Governor Okorocha to find ways of decongesting the Owerri Federal Prisons. About 70 per cent of awaiting trial inmates are innocent of the allegations against them. One clear way of determining their innocence is to ensure that their cases in our various courts are speedily adjudicated, and also through the offering of amnesty.

Let us be our brother’s keeper. Innocent prison inmates are our brothers and sisters.

I rest my pen.

•Citizen (Dr) Iwuoha is Former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Immediate Past Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Imo State House of Assembly. He can be reached via

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