Billionaire kidnapper: I was a militant, earning N65,000 monthly from amnesty – Suspect, Sola Paul

A 42-year-old member the billionaire kidnap gang, Sola Paul has told his own side of the story on how he met kingpin, Evans.

The arrested suspects have been making their individual confessions to the police.

Paul, who is an indigene of Bayelsa State said he was earning N65, 000 monthly from the amnesty programme put in place by the Nigerian government for Niger Delta Militants before meeting Evans.

He said, “I am from Bayelsa State. I was being paid N65,000 monthly for the amnesty they granted me, but my master used to deduct N10,000 from it every month.

“I then went into sea diving job for which I was paid sums ranging from N50,000 to N500,000 for items recovered. But while working as divers all of us were still in the militant camp at Bayelsa, Calabar and Delta.

“At times, we would break pipelines or kidnap oil workers, especially foreigners working with oil companies, and they used to pay ransom fast.

“It was my master, Mr. George Suboma, who owned the camp and the guns we used for militancy. We got annoyed with the oil companies because they did not care to employ indigenes of the states or develop the areas.

“The amnesty was granted us in 2009, during the late President Yaradua’s regime. In 2010, I met Evans because he used to come to camp to collect guns from my master, George.

“He would come to militants’ camp with Barrister Yellow to meet George. I do not have Evans’ phone number and he does not have my number too.

“When President Yaradua died, they started owing us amnesty allowance. I am not too educated.

“Evans later called me. He asked me about my children. I told him that my master, Ugboma George, was deceased.

“He asked me to text the number of the gang’s second in command identified as Peter. He said he would like to see us in Lagos. He sent N30,000 for our journey to Lagos.

“When we alighted at Cele Bus Stop at Ijesha (Lagos), one elderly man came and took us to one hotel at Iyana Ojugbo area. We stayed there for two weeks without seeing Evans.”