SSS arrests UkpakaReports Publisher, Ezenekwe, for Blackmail, Extortion...Impersonates Pointblanknews.com
Ikenna Ezenekwe of Ukpakareports
Mr. Ikenna Ezenekwe, publisher of an online medium, ukpaka reports, has been detained by men of the State Security Service, SSS, in Anambra State over an allegation that he tried to defraud the House of Representative candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia constituency, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, of N6 million to stop the publication of a story and video published by a United States based online medium.
The video was a sex tape of Ekwunife, a married woman, making out with a lady.
Ezenekwe, who had hitherto scammed the Anambra Governor, Peter Obi and Bianca Ojukwu, spouse of the Ikemba Nnewi, Odumegwu Ojukwu, of millions of naira, had approached pointblanknewws.com based in New York, which published the not very complimentary video and story on Ekwunife. He claimed to be a sibling of Ekwunife, and that she has been devastated by the video originally published by YouTube and would want it removed.
But one of the editors whom he contacted declined. Maintaining that the medium does not knock off stories, no matter what. At 10.44pm on March 2011, Ezenekwe sent several text messages and over 15 calls, from cell phone number 08136697979, pleading that pointblanknews.com should take down the video.
Ezenekwe's text, from cell phone number 08136697979, at 10.44pm New York time said “how much?” one of our editors replied from cell phone number 347……. “ Please don't insult me we don't take money from anyone, never have we asked you to take down a story . “
Ezenekwe later contacted Huhuonline.com who also published the video and demanded that the video be removed as, according to him, in a text from 08136697979, “Pointblanknews.com guy is wasting time.” When Huhuonline.com publisher contacted Pointblanknews.com about Ezenekwe's apparent bid to scam Ekwunife, , our Editor told him, “we have told him as well that we are not interested, we don't need his money.”
State Director of SSS, Mr. Joshua Yakubu, who confirmed the arrest and detention of Ezenekwe to reporters in Awka yesterday, said the suspect was arrested at about 1.00 am on Sunday at the residence of Ekwunife where he had allegedly gone for the money.
Though reporters could not have access to the accused, his private car was seen at the premises of the SSS in Awka. It was gathered that when Ezenekwe confronted Ekwunife with the allegation, she contacted the police who in turn invited the SSS and the suspect was subsequently arrested.
Yakubu said: “Mrs. Ekwunife telephoned us and followed it up with a petition and along the line, the man fell into our trap.“So, it is true that he is being detained and we are still investigating the matter. For now, we cannot say if he is guilty or not, but the allegation was that Ezenekwe approached her and demanded N6 million to stop a publication in the internet.
“We have impounded his laptop and collected his telephones and we are still doing technical investigation, including analyzing the telephones analyzing the telephones and laptop to know what they have been used for.” It was also gathered that the suspect would appear in court as soon as investigations were completed.
The SSS boss warned against extortion which appears to be on the increase and urged victims to report immediately to enable his men follow up with investigations.
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