By Atoyebi Nike
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed the apprehension of a fugitive suspected of multiple heinous crimes, including kidnapping and ritual killings. The suspect, identified as Obi Levi Obieze, also known as Levi Obu Onyeka, was intercepted while attempting to escape the country.
Obieze, a native doctor from Umuojor village in Isiagu, Enugu State, had been on the police wanted list in connection with the recent abduction of a 13-year-old girl. According to law enforcement sources, the girl was seized earlier this week while accompanying her father to their farmland. She was later rescued from a shrine allegedly operated by the suspect.
Confirming the arrest, the Comptroller General of the Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, revealed that the suspect was detained at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Badagry-Seme corridor, a known transit route to neighboring countries. Officers flagged down a motorcycle believed to be used for his escape when he was identified and detained.
In a statement issued by the NIS spokesperson, ACI AS Akinlabi, it was disclosed that Obieze was found in possession of a National Identity slip, which confirmed his identity. “During preliminary interrogation, he confessed to the alleged crimes,” the statement said.
The Immigration Service is currently working with the Nigeria Police Force to ensure his formal handover for a full investigation and possible prosecution. Authorities emphasized that this arrest underscores the importance of vigilant border control in the fight against transnational crime.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to securing the nation’s borders and ensuring that fugitives cannot evade justice by crossing into neighboring countries,” the statement added.
This case has sparked renewed concerns about ritual killings and child abductions in the Southeast, particularly involving individuals operating under the guise of traditional healing practices.
