Articles by "KIDNAPPING"
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Below is a press statement from the The Rivers State Police Command
The Rivers State Police Command has successfully rescued Mr. Austin Ajah and Mrs. Winifred Frank few hours after they were kidnapped on Feb. 6th, 2016 at about 6:19 pm near Siat Palm farm in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government. The duo were returning from Owerri to Port Harcourt after attending a wedding.
A patriotic citizen who from a hiding place witnessed the incident informed the police that kidnappers whisked away the victims abandoning their vehicle, Lexus jeep RX 300 by the road side.
The police after recovering the vehicle got information sequel to robust intelligence that the victims were blind-folded and locked up in the house of Onyekachi Okpara, who is the leader gang in Omerelu town. They quickly mobilised and stormed the house at about 1:15 am of 07/02/2016, rescued the victims and arrested Kingsley Bassey 'm' 23 years, who was guarding the victims.
A big locally made revolver pistol with four live cartridges were recovered from him. Interrogation of Kingsley Bassey led to the subsequent arrest of his six other accomplices namely Nduzi Igoni 'm' 25 years, Ogechi Onyeso 'm' 24 years, Godbless John 'm' 24 years, Saturday Isiah 'm' 22 years, Gabriel Dimgba 'm' 26 years and Onyekachi Okpara 'm' 25 years
The rescued duo while describing their ordeal in the captivity as horrible moment they could wish even their enemy to experience, expressed their appreciation to the police for fearlessly and timely coming to their rescue. They further urged for continued cooperation of members of the public to the police especially in terms of volunteering timely and reliable information to the police.
The suspects would be charged to court immediately after conclusion of the on going investigation, please. Signed DSP. Ahmad K. Muhammad, Police Public Relations Officer, For: Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command.
February 07, 2016
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Gunmen on Sunday kidnapped an aide to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Captain Henry Ungbuku (rtd).

Ungbuku, who is the Special Adviser on Aviation to the Bayelsa State Governor, was abducted as he was about leaving the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Light House Parish, after service.



It was gathered that his abductors had laid siege to the church located in Iwofe, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State as early as 8.50am, waiting for their victim to come out at the end of the service before pouncing on him.


An eyewitness revealed that an unsuspecting Ungbuku, who came out of the church some minutes after 10am, was stopped by the hoodlums as he drove out of the premises of the church.

Ungbuku’s abductors were said to have asked him to open the door of his vehicle while one of them pointed a gun at him.

The gunmen, according to the source, drove their victim away to an unknown destination after forcing him into a waiting vehicle.

“They were about four, but we did not know whether there are others hanging around the premises of the church. They forced him out of the car at gun point and took him away.

“There was confusion around the premises of the church when the incident happened. The kidnappers were all armed and many people who saw the scene were all scared,” the eyewitness said.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, confirmed the kidnap of Dickson’s aide in the state and added that efforts were in top gear to effect his rescue and apprehend those behind the dastardly act.
February 01, 2016
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Barely a week after the decomposing body of the Akaeze Ofulue III of Ubulu-Uku (pictured above)‎ was found in a bush after he was kidnapped by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Obior/ Igbodo Road, Delta State, another monarch, Umukoro Josiah, the Aghaza 1of Olomoro in Isoko south local government area of Delta state, was kidnapped by some gunmen in his palace at Ekiagbodo yesterday morning January 29th.

The Delta state Police command spokesperson, Celestina Kalu, has confirmed his abduction.

In a text message she sent to reporters she said
“The Olomoro King, Aghaza 1 was kidnapped in his office in Olomoro community. The kidnappers are heading to unknown destination with a Dark Green Rav 4 Jeep.” She said the police were on the trail of the abductors and is working to rescue the monarch.
January 31, 2016
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Members of the Nigerian Medical Association staged a protest yesterday over the increased rate of abduction of medical practitioners in the state. The doctors came out in large numbers for the peaceful protest. Some of them were seen on their laboratory coats carrying placards, others just held their stethoscope.


Former chairman of the NMA Dr, Ibitorukuemi Kurubo  explained the purpose of the protest:
“When people are sick or when we want to take deliveries of babies we don’t call security agencies to do it for us. For instance, Lassa Fever issue is on. We are confronting it. Two doctors have died in the process, that is our job. We are trained to do it and we must treat patients no matter how deadly the diseases are because that is our job. Security agencies in the state must rise up and do their job.
“The peaceful protest today is to send a clear warning that if there is anymore kidnap of doctors in the state, NMA will take a far reaching decision,”
The doctors marched to the police headquarters to complain about the fact that twenty one practicing  medical doctors in the state have been kidnapped lately, eleven of them were kidnapped within the last few days, one died in the hands of the kidnappers while others were severely injured.
They met with the commissioner of police, Musa Kimo who sympathized with them, and promised them that more efforts would be made to protect them.
January 25, 2016
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4 year old Ojelabi Micheal Oluwatomiyin pictured above was kidnapped by a yet to be identified woman at his school, Mafina Primary School Unity estate along Iba expressway in Lagos yesterday January 20th.

A relative of the kidnapped boy said according to Ojelabi's 8 year old sister, herself and her little brother were in their school waiting for their mother to come pick them up. When they got tired of waiting, they stepped out of their school compound where they met the kidnapper who told her their mother asked her to come and pick them up. The young girl refused saying she does not know her.

The kidnapper then forcefully grabbed her younger brother from her and ran away. No word has been heard from the kidnapper since yesterday. The matter has been reported to the police and investigation into the matter is ongoing. Anyone with useful info should contact: 08024371127, 08028287574. Or the nearest police station.
January 22, 2016
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The kidnapped king of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Obi Akaeze Ofulue III, has been reportedly killed by his abductors.

The deceased king was on January 5, abducted by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Obior/ Igbodo Road, Delta State, along with his driver.

It wass gathered that the monarch’s corpse was found at Ekpon, in Edo State at 3p.m., yesterday.


A source close to the palace said a young Hausa man who was allegedly found with the king’s GSM hand-set was arrested three days ago by the Police.

The source who pleaded anonymity, said the kingdom had been thrown into mourning and confusion, adding, “The late monarch was so dear to us. His death has brought setback to the kibgdom. “

Disclosing that the monarch passed on at the age of 52, the source said that the arrested Hausa boy was still being questioned by security operatives.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the State, Celestina Kalu confirmed the incident, adding that the police was still in search of those behind the crime.

Rep. Joan Mrakpor, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency and also a cousin to the late king described the death as monumental.

“What a waste,” Mrakpor lamented last night in between sobs.

She called for drastic solution to the harassment of the civil population in Delta North by nomadic kidnappers.

“What have we done to deserve this? They keep on brutalising our people,” she sobbed.
January 22, 2016
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A former Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Adekanye Olabimtan, who was kidnapped and released last week, has narrated his ordeal at the hands of his abductors.

Olabimtan who was kidnapped on his way from Akure to Abuja by fake solders that flagged his vehicle down at a military checkpoint in Kwali, in Abuja said he was deprived of food and made to trek several kilometres barefooted .

The All Progressives Congress (APC)governorship aspirant spoke to journalists at his Alagbaka house in Akure, the state capital after he was received by his supporters and well wishers.



Narrating his ordeal, Olabimtan said the armed hoodlums threatened to kill him if his people failed to cooperate with them and paid the ransom requested.

According to him, “It was exactly 6:35pm, we got to a spot and I was hearing gunshots and the gunshots were so much and I asked my driver what was happening

“When I saw those who were shooting, they were in camouflage uniform of the army and the police. I thought it was the police and the army that were exchanging gunfire.

“It was later we discovered that they could be armed robbers; when we learned that they were armed robbers, we had to stay where we are

“They had captured so many vehicles; they had blocked the road in front and we had to stay and they started searching every vehicle.

“When they got to my vehicle, they asked for what I have and I gave them what was on me, very little money, not much money – I gave it to them, they left. They said we should lie down and I lay down,” Olabimtan narrated.

According to him, the hoodlums came back and demanded to know the owner of his car, and then took him into the bush.

“That is when they said ‘stand up’. They just held me by the waist and started dragging me into the bush and when I wanted to resist, they gave me a dirty slap; in fact my eyes turned blue and I had to obey them and follow them.

“At that initial level, they dragged me into the bush, and they said I should stand up and be walking , I should be following them, they held me by the waist and I was following them.

“A lot of things were coming into my mind, I said could they be ritualist, afterall they have taken money, why are they doing what they were doing

“And we were into the bush. We have walked for about 30 minutes. They asked me to stop where I was and three others people were brought to the same spot and one of my captors said I should stand up and walk into the bush. I feared if I stood up and walked into the bush, he would shoot me in the back; that is death

“I refused , I said no, I said I am going to stand up here ; he said walk into the bush, I said No. He had this cutlass in his hand; he used the flat side of the cutlass to beat me at the back; I refused to move. One of them came and said ‘leave him, leave him, don’t bother, leave him’.

“They said I should sit down and I sat down, and after about 30 minutes, we started the journey into the bush. We left where we were kept by 8pm and continued to walk intoe the bush

“I was walking barefooted because my shoe, everything had been removed. So, I was following them, some were in the front leading us, others were at the back following us, and by 11:30, we arrived at a spot

“And they said we should all lie face down and we all lay face down and what I discovered was that – I was trying to watch to see what they were doing – I discovered that the money they were sharing the money the got from the raid on the road.

“After sharing the money, they now said, this is where we are sleeping and we were there till the following morning.

“And by exactly 4am they said we should be on the move and we started another journey from 4am till 11:30am that same day.”

The former speaker narrated further “It was that day that they first talked to us, one of them came to me and asked, ‘How much do you have?’ I said I didn’t have money. He asked again,”How much is in your bank account. I said there is no money in my bank account that if you want to know, my phone is with you, bring my phone I can check my account there and you will see my balance there.

“He said okay, “Who do you know that can give you money to bail you out? He said my ransom was N20milliom; another person, they said his own was N10million; another person, they said his own was N5million.

“Then I asked , How can my own be N20million, and they said I was the big man in the group.

According to the politician, the kidnappers kept their victims in a deep pit and moved mostly at night. “The third day, they moved us in the night around 7pm; we trekked from 7pm till around 1am inside the bush before we now got to a mountain and from there you would see the whole of Kwali, and they said that was where we were going to stay till we were bailed.

“And by 4pm on Wednesday, came the cheering news from them: that your ransom has been paid.”
January 19, 2016
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Less than 48 hours after Dr Mrs I.B. Apriokor, an Ophthalmologist with the Braithwaite Special Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital in southern Nigeria, was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen, another medical doctor, Dr Isaac Opurum, has been abducted from his home in Port Harcourt.

Dr. Opurum, who is the Director, Community House Services, Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board, was abducted at about 3am at his residence in Port Harcourt on Tuesdayby gunmen.



Frustrated by the abduction of two colleagues within 48 hours, members of the Rivers branch of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, have threatened to withdraw their services if nothing is done to free their abducted colleagues within 48 hours.

Dr Apriokor was kidnapped on Sunday, 10 January on her way to church in Port Harcourt.

When Dr. Apriokor who works with the state-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, BMSP, was kidnapped on Sunday, her children were said to have been abandoned in the vehicle.‎

The Rivers State Branch of Medical and Dental Consultants Association in state government owned hospitals had condemned the abduction of Dr. Apriokor in a statement issued Tuesday.

The Public Relations Officer of the association, Dr. Alali Dan Jumbo, called for the immediate and unconditional release of the kidnapped medical doctor.

Jumbo also regretted the continuous abduction of medical doctors by unidentified gunmen in Rivers State, describing the trend as worrisome.
Medical Doctors are wondering why they are targets of kidnapers in recent times.


“This is very sad because we are civil servants even if we answer the name doctors. The title gives you a high profile but we are basically civil servants. And I don’t see any financial gain from kidnapping a doctor. It is so traumatic on her family, colleagues and patients. We are feeling very bad right now,” Jumbo said.

The State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Furo Green, while reacting to the abduction, decried the spate of kidnapping targeted at medical doctors in the state.
Green stated that doctors were afraid to report to work because they have become targets.

The NMA chairman said that in 2015, 21 of their colleagues were kidnapped in the state, adding that members of the families of the victims who paid ransoms before they were released, have not been able to offset the monies borrowed for ransom a year after.

He threatened that if the two doctors were not released unconditionally within 48 hours doctors under the employ of the State Government would be forced to stop work and search for their kidnapped colleagues.

Green said medical doctors are so scared to either go to work to attend to their patients who are in the ratio of 5,000 to one medical doctor.
He regretted that medical doctors have suddenly become endangered species who constantly feel insecure because they don’t have security details attached to them like politicians.

The Rivers State Government, which incidentally has a medical doctor as Deputy Governor, Dr Mrs Ipalibo Banigo, is yet to react to the 48 hours ultimatum by the doctors.
January 13, 2016
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Former speaker of Ondo state House of Assembly and All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant, Victor Olabimtan, who was kidnapped on 11 January has been freed.

According to Gboyega Ajayi, Secretary of the Olabimtan Campaign Organization he was freed on Wednesday.



He did not state if a ransom was paid to secure his release. “We thank and appreciate the Federal government under the able leadership of President Buhari, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies, Leaders of All Progressive Congress at the national and the Ondo state chapter,” the statement read.

The 58 year-old politician was reportedly kidnapped Sunday, 10 January on his way to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital from Akure, the capital of Ondo.

The APC chieftain was kidnapped at Kwali after he was flagged down at a military checkpoint by fake soldiers who turned out to be kidnappers.

His abduction came barely 48 hours after he declared his intention to run for the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship ticket in the state.

Until he joined the APC, he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and contested the PDP nomination for governorship election in 2012.

Olabimtan is also a former commissioner of the Federal Civil Service Commission.
January 13, 2016
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Chief Olu Falae, who was kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen and released after paying N5m ransom four days after, has identified his abductors who were paraded before him by the police on Tuesday. He identified 4 of the kidnappers who were mean to him and 1 who was kind to him.
Five of Falae’s kidnappers were arraigned, yesterday, before an Akure High Court, Ondo and Chief Falae will be the star witness when the trial starts on November 10.
The suspects, who were docked for kidnapping, conspiracy and armed robbery 24 days after abduction were Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibrahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal all pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Three of the kidnappers admitted that their share from the N5m ransom collected was N100,000 each. The accused persons could not speak English and were ordered to be remanded in prison custody by the high court judge, Justice Rotimi Olamide till November 10 when the case would be heard.


Vanguard
October 15, 2015
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N30mn – this sum is required by the abductors of Dicken Worlu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state.
Worlu has become one of the four PDP members kidnapped in the last two weeks.
He was abducted from his residence in Port Harcourt on March 4 by unknown gunmen.
On Sunday (today), the kidnappers contacted the family of the hostage to demand a ransom.
The Worlu's wife Patricia told the members of the National Association of Seadogs that the family does not have the sum that the abductors demanded.
"The family has not been the same since the sad incident. We are appealing to the kidnappers to have pity on the family and release my husband," she said.
Punch reports that it still has not been possible to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammad, to speak on the matter.
Chinyere Igwe, Ikechi Chinda and Allwell Ihunwo, who were kidnapped, were released on Thursday.
The same day the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Tunde Ogunsakin, siad his administration would not tolerate kidnapping in the state.
March 09, 2014
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By Ameh Comrade Godwin on March 2, 2014@amcomrade

Pa-NitabaiThe family of President Goodluck Jonathan has said that it can not cough out N500m ramsom demanded by the abductors of Chief Inengite Nitabai.

DailyPost reports that the kidnappers had contacted the family and demanded N500m ransom as a condition for the freedom of Nitabai, who is believed to be Jonathan’s adopted father.

One of the children of the victim on Saturday night, told Punch that the amount was outrageous, saying that the family members were still confused on what next to do.

The child who doesnt want his name mentioned said the kidnappers’ demand had stirred serious tension in the family.

He said, “The amount the kidnappers are demanding is too high. Where do they expect us to raise such money?

“I am appealing to them to release our father. He is a good man; a God-fearing individual and symbol of peace in Otuoke and its environs.”

The abductors had threatened on Friday to kill Nitabai if the family failed to produce the money as soon as possible.

He further disclosed that, “the kidnappers contacted the family four days after and demanded the sum of N500m. Negotiations are ongoing between the family and the captors of Nitabai,”
March 02, 2014
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By Emma Una, Calabar
A   4-year old boy, Effiong Edet has been abducted   at the Ekorinim axis of Calabar, the     Cross River State Capital   by the hoodlums who raided the community in an Audi car with a   concealed   car registration number.

The kidnapers struck at about 8:30 pm on Wednesday while the   local vigilante members, majority of whom are football lovers were preoccupied with watching   the   Arsenal match against Turkish football club in the on-going European league.

The   gang which   is said to specialise   in kidnapping children of   Kindergarten and nursery school age, stormed   Ikot Onim for a victim and on arrival at the community, drove to   Mr. Edet’s compound , Effiong’s father   where they sighted the boy   and his   friends playing around while   his mother was selling fried yam.

The hoodlums which our source said did not have a target in mind first attempted to whisk away a six-year old boy identified as Joseph, who strongly resisted his assailants by crying and biting one of the kidnappers on the hand causing   them to abandon him and then swiftly seizing   Edet whom they     bundled into their car and sped off.

Since most able bodied residents of the area were busy watching the football match, there was no one to go after the kidnappers. “By the time we got to hear what had happened, the boys had gone far and besides, there was no available car to go after them.”, the father of the kidnapped boy said.

The matter, the father said was immediately   reported at State Housing Police Station, Calabar where the police demanded for the photograph of the 4-year old child to enable them carry   out investigations, assuring Mr. Edet and his wife that the perpetrators will soon be apprehended.

At press time, no ransom had been demanded just as family sources said no contact had been established with the suspects.

When contacted, the state Polic   Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey said the police authorities were working to rescue the victim without any ransom paid, as Junior’s father was a worker earning just N6, 000 per month as security man.
March 01, 2014
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The Imo State Government has concluded plans to relocate about 5,000 shoemakers, of its indigenes resident in Aba, Abia State back to Owerri to run the state-owned shoe industry.
The state’s Commissioner for Industry and Non-Formal Sector, Mrs. Ugochi Nnana Okoro, announced this at a media briefing in Owerri, the state capital. She said the move would make the state a destination of choice in shoes industry, just as the state government has also advocated for the abolition of federal ministries in the states for their none viability.
Mrs. Okoro, who is also the supervising commissioner for Agriculture, said the arrangement would also encourage locally- made goods as well as boost the economy of the state.
According to her, all products made in the state must be labeled “Madein- Imo.’. She said government had acquired modern equipment to run the Standard Shoe Industry owned by the state. The commissioner said the industry had been producing high quality sandals for primary school pupils in the state.
She said that due to the numerous projects being executed by the current government in the state, it was not possible for the government to establish more industries.
Okoro said that some of the moribund government- owned industries would be reactivated and leased out to the private sector. Source
March 01, 2014
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Abductors of Inengite Nitabai, the septuagenarian cousin of President Goodluck Jonathan, have requested a whooping N500m ransom to set him free.
The outrageous demand, it was learnt, had unsettled members of Nitabai’s family who were said to be running from pillar to post to find a solution to the matter.
A security source told The Nation that the abductors threatened to kill their victim if the family failed to produce the money.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the family had constituted a committee to evaluate the wicked demand, establish negotiations with the abductors and facilitate his release.
He said the kidnappers as usual warned against the involvement of security operatives in the matter.
“The kidnappers contacted the family four days after and demanded a whooping sum of N500m. It is believed that the family of the victim has begun negotiations with the hoodlums,” he said.
Distraught family members and sympathisers had shortly after the incident weighed the motives behind the dastardly act.
The atmosphere became gloomier following refusal of the assailants to establish contact with the family of their victim three days after the abduction.
The kidnappers’ incommunicado, it was observed, created panic and heightened apprehension among members of the family.
February 28, 2014
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by Gunmen and Kidnappers appear to be on the prowl again in Abia State as they have kidnapped two market women and a six-month old baby boy.
They perpetrated their nefarious act by feigning to be operators of taxi cabs and motorcyclists Aba, the commercial nucleus of the state, and Umuahia, the state capital.
Yesterday, two women travelling to Uzuakoli market in Bende Local Government Area of the state were kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination.
Their families are now in agony, misery and guessing where the destination was.
One of the women, simply identified as Mrs. Nkechi, was said to be a nursing mother of an eightmonth old baby.
She trades in garri and other allied food stuff and was going to the local market for stock, not knowing she was to be a victim of kidnappers posing as motorists.
Reliable sources disclosed that though the women live in Umuahia, they hailed from Ebonyi State.
Eyewitness accounts disclosed that the kidnap suspects were seen speeding towards the Umuahia/ Aba/Enugu expressway after their operation.
Also, on Monday, some gunmen reportedly abducted a six- month old baby boy at Amapu Umuaja village in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State.
It was gathered that at about 9.30pm on the day of the incident when most villagers had gone to bed, two gunmen on a motorcycle stormed the compound of the victim’s parents, broke into their house and forcefully snatched the baby from his mother, Mrs. Peace Chikezie.
The whereabouts of the baby is unknown.
After snatching the baby from the mother, the gunmen reportedly fled, and in an apparent move to stop the woman from alerting other villagers, they forcefully collected her mobile phone.
It was after the hoodlums had fled with the baby that the mother raised the alarm and a search team was set to comb the entire neighbourhood to see if the marauders could be apprehended, but all to no avail.
Nobody in the area was able to adduce reason for the baby’s abduction, but there was a general belief that ritual for money making could be the motivating factor.
Some villagers who spoke to our correspondent described the incident as barbaric and satanic, stressing that this was the first time such would be happening in the community.
Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna, could not be a reached as at the time of filing this report.
However, a senior police officer who would not want his name in print confirmed the incident. He said the matter had been reported at the Umuoba Divisional Police Headquarters for proper investigation, adding that police were already on top of the matter to recover the child and also apprehend the hoodlums.
February 26, 2014
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 by Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Three days after the kidnapping of Inengite Nitabai, President Goodluck Jonathan’s adopted father, Otuoke, the President’s country home, has literally been turned into a military zone.
It was learnt that there had been massive deployment of crack team of soldiers and riot policemen in the community from Abuja.
On Wednesday, security forces were said to have taken over every part of the community and its sister communities, combing the creeks frantically to fish out the abductors.
An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said residents were intimidated by the large troops, saying it was “like medicine after death.”
The eyewitness said, “It is high time the relevant authorities did what was needed to check kidnapping and other vicious crimes in the area. For instance, in Otuoke, for more than seven months now, there is no electricity supply in the area.
“From 7pm, every household resorts to generators. The cacophony of noise arising from those generators can be deafening. Probably if the whole area was quiet, the gunmen could not have successfully carried out their dastardly act without being noticed.
“Apart from the issue of electricity, unemployment is another issue of serious concern. In a situation where some people live in opulence and others live from hand to mouth, you can appreciate the consequences.”
As of Wednesday, the family of the victims were still apprehensive about the abduction of the 70-year-old compound chief of the Jonathan’s family.
Their fear was born out of the fact that more than 72 hours after the abduction, the kidnappers had yet to call any member of the family.
February 26, 2014
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President Goodluck Jonathan
The victim, Inengite Nitabai, was kidnapped on Sunday night
By Arodeigwu
Gunmen, Sunday night, abducted Inengite Nitabai, 70, in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area in Bayelsa.
The victim is believed to be an uncle to President Goodluck Jonathan, who is also from Otuoke.
Mr. Nitabai was reportedly abducted by 10 heavily armed gunmen when he was returning from an outing in his car at about 9:30 p.m.
A security source said the victim’s vehicle was later recovered at Onuegbum community waterfront where it was abandoned, an indication that the gunmen might have made away with their victim through the creek.
Though the motive of the kidnappers is yet to be ascertained, a community source told PREMIUM TIMES that it might not be unconnected with a land tussle between the victim and some youth in the community.
The incident has led to heavy security presence in the community, which is also host to the Federal University, Otuoke.
The Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Ime Ekpa, and a team of security agents visited the crime scene on Monday to assess the incident.
The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the kidnap.
He said one person has been arrested in connection with the abduction while the victim’s vehicle used in whisking him away had also been recovered.
“Investigation is in progress to unmask the kidnappers and rescue the victim,” Mr. Akhigbe said.
February 24, 2014
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He had traveled to Edo State and on his way back to Lagos on December 29, 2013, he and his co-travelers had set out for the journey by 6:30am.
By 2pm, they had moved beyond Benin Bye-Pass. Just after the river that flows across Ekiadolor, they suddenly heard gun shots. That was how, the man who simply identified himself as Celestine; a business man was abducted by kidnappers.
Close to tears, he shared his experience at kidnapers den with journalists in Lagos during the week. “We were forced to stop. There were two cars in front of us; a white Hilux Jeep and one Toyota Camry. But I can’t say anything about the cars behind us because I really didn’t know.”
“We attempted to escape, by making a u-turn however, there were gunshots in front and at our back. There was nothing we could do other than to surrender. Before, I knew what was happening, somebody hit my head with wood. We were taken to a thick forest about 50 kilometers from the main express road before Okada.”
“When we were being moved into the forest, I thought they were armed robbers. Without being told, I removed my wrist watch, money, phones and other valuables. Later they told us that they were not robbers but kidnappers. We were ordered to face other direction so as not have face to face contact with them.”
The experience according to him was horrible. The kidnappers placed a N10 million ransom on him. Celestine said he was thought unforgettable lesson with other hostages at the kidnappers’ den. A father of three, from Edo State, said that he and other kidnapped victims were in Infinity Jeep before they were ambushed.
He was abducted alongside a couple with three kids whose ages range from a year and three months to 11 years.”
“We spent almost two nights in the kidnappers’ abode. The three children were traumatised. They kept crying and pleading with the abductors that please don’t kill our mummy. Don’t kill our Daddy! Our Daddy will give you money.”
“Sometimes the kidnappers would beat the woman in the presence of her children and husband. Each time, the children hear gunshot, it was something else.”
The kidnappers gave Celestine, a staunch catholic, and other hostages different meaning of morning devotion they were used to. “When they woke us the following day, the first thing they shouted was morning devotion. As a Christian, I wanted to say praise the Lord Jesus Christ but I soon realised the morning devotion simply means giving us the beating of our lives every morning.”
“They beat us until I was unconscious. It was after that I started calling my relatives to come to my rescue.They placed N10 million ransom on me and threatened to kill me if that was not provided.”
“At about 9:30 pm, they moved us like slaves within the farm in the forest. They harvested plantains and even cooked for us. Within five minutes, they boiled rice and forced us to eat it. I couldn’t even chew it. I had to swallow it in order to have strength.”
Though, he didn’t state what others pay to secure their freedom, he said his relatives eventually raised over a million naira to secure his release from the kidnappers.
“We were eventually released on December 30, 2013. The kidnappers collected a total sum of N3.6million to set us free,” said Celestine. While we were held hostage, I realised that the kidnappers have a network. They were calling Benin, asking for different network recharge cards. They had boys everywhere working for them.”
“I thought they would release us easily but they didn’t release us until about 8:30 pm that day. They called one of their friends in Benin. The man came with a car and took them away, leaving us there. A good Samaritan picked us on our way with his car and dropped us at Isele-uku.”
DAILYINDEPENDENT
February 21, 2014
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OWERRI— The Agbaso clan was last Sunday jolted when news of the kidnap of one of their own and a Pentecostal pastor, Austen Agbaso, rented the air.

Vanguard investigations revealed that Agbaso, who runs his church at Umuekpu Agwa had finished his Sunday service and was midway into his usual deliverance and counseling when the near tragic drama started.

It was also gathered that a young lady, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time, approached Pastor Agbaso, requesting that she be delivered from undisclosed spiritual trauma.

A villager, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said: “Not long after the lady joined the lot waiting for deliverance and counselling, some armed gangsters stormed the church premises.

“On properly identifying their victim, the hoodlums seized and whisked the pastor away.

“The hoodlums started firing indiscriminately into the air to scare people from mounting any form of resistance.

“The firing rather attracted more people to the scene who gave the fleeing hoodlums a hot chase. This led to the capture of the lady that initially asked for deliverance and counselling.”

According to reports, the lady obviously missed her way and became the first member of the fleeing gang to be arrested.

Vanguard also gathered that the angry youths pounced on her and midway into her ordeal, she confessed that she was a friend to one of the hoodlums.

According to the villager, “she was given a telephone to call her boyfriend, a native of Umuomi, Agwa, and on arrival, the boy equally confirmed the lady’s claim.

“The youths were on the verge of dealing with the duo when security agents stormed the area.”

Another female villager that simply identified herself as Ngozi, told Vanguard that on being interrogated, the lady and her boyfriend reeled out the names of their accomplices said to be residing in Ogbaku and Orogwe.

Vanguard also gathered that there was exchange of fire between the security personnel and the hoodlums at Ogbaku and Orogwe before they were arrested by the police.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Pastor Austen Agbaso has remained unknown, while efforts to get comments from Agbaso family failed.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, confirmed the incident, promising to give Vanguard an update on the matter.
BY CHIDI NKWOPARA
February 18, 2014

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