Police exhumes body of kidnapped Chinese

Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Abakaliki

The body of a Chinese, Mr. Feng Shenyi, who was killed by kidnappers in 2007 at Owotu Edda in Afikpo local government area of Ebonyi State has been exhumed by... the Police pathologist from Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Mr. Shenyi, a technical partner to Innoson Motor Assemble Nnewi in Anambra State was kidnapped along side two other workers at Innoson plant in 2007 and was taken to a camp at Ekoli Edda in Ebonyi State.

The Nigerian Compass gathered the kidnapper demanded for a ransom of N20 million for the three workers of Innoson (two Chinese and one Nigerian) which was paid but they (kidnappers) released other two and held the Chinese (the deceased).

On a tip-off, according to a source, a combine team of military and mobile police invaded the kidnappers’ camp at Ekoli Edda and arrested about 16 people and took them to force headquarters Abuja in 2007.

But the weekend exhumation by the Police followed another arrest of a suspected kidnapper, Mr. Innocent Orji, last month who on interrogation confessed that when the police invaded their camp he took Mr. Shenyi, the deceased and later killed him and buried him by the roadside at Owotu Edda.

Mr. Chris Ezike, an Assistant Commissioner of Police led the team of investigators and the pathologist, Dr. Willosn Akhiwu, recovered the remains of Mr. Shenyi including bones, skull, rips, shoe and cloths.

Addressing newsmen after, the excavation of body Ezike said that the grave was so shallow which showed that the suspect was in haste and had no time to bury the victim.

“What we have just done now is a step forward in our investigation. There is exhumation and discovery of very vital exhibit. The forensic pathologist will do their job and when they are through they will make informed opinion”.

On how they knew that it was the remains of Mr. Shenyi, Ezike said: “From the event leading to the discovery of this shallow grave and some of the perceived evidences we have, we are convinced we are making progress but you know that this is a specialist thing and not until the analysis is done you cannot make any informed opinion”.

“We are happy, you never say die until you get to where you are going. You are aware that part of this case is in the court and those were reasonable progress made in the past. So, it has been progress, progress but I can describe this as a climax” he stated.

A colleague of the Chinese, Chen Mei, identified the clothes and shoes of the deceased, and expressed joy that his remains were found at last.

Also in an interview with the Nigerian Compass, the chairman of the Innoson Group of Company Mr. Innocent Chukwuma said that he made every effort to save the life of Mr. Shenyi but to no avail.

Meanwhile, a human rights group, United Action against Corruption and Injustice International led by Chief Okosisi Eburu has called the government to use all machinery to ensure justice in the case.

Okosisi stated that with the evidence at hand and the arrest of Mr. Innocent Orji and the exhumation of the body of the deceased all those involved in the case should be brought to book.

indicts powerful Nigerians, multinationals

Counterfeiting: Akunyili indicts powerful Nigerians, multinationals

By Victor Sam and Atser Godwin

Published: Tuesday, 30 Oct 2007

The Director-General, National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, Prof. Dora Akunyili, on Monday, accused some very powerful Nigerians and companies of involvement in the counterfeiting and importation of fake drugs.

She also said that in the last six years, NAFDAC had carried out 115 destruction exercises of counterfeit and fake drugs worth over N20bn.

Akunyili stated this while delivering a keynote address at the 1st International Science Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.

She said the battle against fake and counterfeit drugs was a fight against very powerful Nigerians, “who have over the years formed themselves into a strong mafia.”

She cited some companies allegedly involved in products counterfeiting and faking to include some multinationals.

Akunyili also mentioned the wife of an ex-president, whom she did not name, as having used a prohibited chemical enhancer for bread production.

She said, ”Drug and other regulated products’ counterfeiting is a transnational criminal network that involves stupendously rich and powerful mafia.

”The first shock the criminals had was when in 2001, a multinational, Nestle was trying to clear revalidated expired skimmed milk imported in nine 40-feet containers, supposedly for the production of infant formula.

According to her, ”We recorded a major milestone when we made Chief Marcel Nnakwe to forfeit the fake drugs in his warehouse. He was the biggest fake drug baron in the country.

”In 2002, Cadbury imported and re-labelled expired chocolate. PZ imported menthol crystals labelled, ‘Reject’.

”Park & Shop, one of the biggest supermarkets in Nigeria, was closed in 2002 for selling expired and unregistered food products. Coca-Cola was also forced to comply with the sugar content level in their soft drinks as they were doing in developed countries.”

She said that Unilever was closed in 2005 for producing substandard toothpaste, while a flour mill belonging to a wealthy Nigerian, was closed in May, 2007 for producing semolina flour without vitamin A fortification.

Akunyili said that in September 2005, a bakery belonging to the wife of an ex-president used a forbidden chemical enhancer for bread production and was closed down.

She noted that NAFDAC had also closed several drug shops, supermarkets and eateries for similar crimes.

When contacted, Cadbury agreed that it had issues with the food and drug regulator in 2002 but said these were resolved.

“There was an incident in 2002 that was sorted out,” Cadbury’s spokesman, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, said via the telephone.

However, Unilever denied having issues with NAFDAC.

“We were never involved in faking or counterfeiting. NAFDAC cannot say that about us,” the Head of Corporate Affairs, Unilever, Mr. Yemi Adeboye, said on the telephone.

Coca-Cola, Nestle and PZ could not be reached for comments.