Donatus Duru, the pharmacist whose escape from detention led to the arrest of Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike aka Evans, says the Lagos State Police command has released the insider who gave him away.

Speaking on a AIT’s ‘Focus Nigeria’, Duru also said that no police security had been provided for him since his escape from detention.

When asked to confirm the report that the suspect had been released, he said: “Yes, he has been released. He called one of my workers yesterday; that was how I confirmed he had been released.”

He further said: “Since I escaped, I have been in hiding. I have applied to the police for protection, but since then, nothing has been done.”

Duru said that his escape was miraculous because the kidnappers were becoming impatient and had concluded plans to take him to the “canal” probably to kill him.

“I overheard them talking with Emeka one day and he said: ‘You don’t want to kill him? Kill him; in fact, kill him.'”

“So that night one of them from Ebonyi State – from his dialect – brought me noodles and said I should eat so as to have strength to face the boys at the canal.”

Duru said Emeka was his employee for five years. After his arrest by the police, he made useful statements that led to the arrest of Evans and his gang members.

Jimoh Moshood, the Police Force Public Relations Officer and Joseph Offor, the Lagos State (PPRO), could not be reached to comment on the issue. While the former did not answer calls to his phone and did not reply a text message sent to him, the latter’s phone number was switched off.