A gallant officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Prince Orji Ugochukwu, has been hailed for his integrity and bravery after rejecting a ₦10 million bribe and expensive mobile phones offered by a wanted ritualist in a desperate attempt to escape justice.
Ugochukwu, known on Facebook as Okeosisi Ugo, apprehended the suspect, identified as Ezeani, popularly known as Ichie Billion, at a checkpoint in Gbaji along the Seme border route on Wednesday. Ezeani is accused of being the leader of a deadly occult group responsible for a series of ritual killings in Umumba, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to reports, the suspect had buried several victims alive in a soakaway pit located within his compound. He was reportedly attempting to flee Nigeria when luck ran out on him.
In an exclusive narration sent to a family member and later shared with ABN TV, Officer Ugochukwu described how he identified the fugitive and thwarted his escape:
“On Wednesday afternoon, while on duty at my checkpoint in Gbaji, I spotted a bike carrying a young man in a face cap. His face looked familiar because I had seen his pictures circulating online in connection with the horrific crimes in Ezeagu. I tried to stop the bike, but they refused. I immediately boarded another bike and chased them down to another checkpoint where I intercepted them,” Ugochukwu stated.
He continued: “On our way back, the suspect tried to convince me he was innocent, claiming the man in the photo was his brother. He later offered me ₦10 million to let him go, saying he was being framed because it was his turn to become Igwe in his community. When I rejected the money, he added an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a Tecno Camon 19 to the bribe, but I stood my ground and refused.”
Upon confirming his identity, Officer Ugochukwu handcuffed the suspect and transported him to the Seme Border Patrol Command headquarters after sending a signal to his superiors.
“Even my colleagues initially doubted it was him. But I was certain,” he added.
The ritualist, Ichie Billion, is alleged to be behind numerous deaths, reportedly carried out for “okeite” (ritual potency) and other occultic purposes.
Ezeani’s arrest has since sparked widespread commendation for Officer Ugochukwu’s rare show of integrity and patriotism in the face of a life-changing bribe.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has yet to issue an official statement, but sources say further investigations are underway, and the suspect may be extradited to Enugu to face charges.
