Worried by the ever increasing rate of kidnapping in Rivers State, residents have sent a passionate appeal to security agencies and relevant authorities to proffer lasting solutions to this embarrassing and social menace.
Kidnapping has become a source of making millions of naira with ease and without stress. No day passes without a case of kidnapping incident in Rivers State. The heinous activities of the kidnappers have made the state unsafe for its residents.
At this point we give kudos to the state government under the leadership of Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for his administration’s effort to effectively combat crime in the state.
Recently, the state government purchased no fewer than 65 vehicles to assist the security agents to monitor and track down crime in the state.
The Rivers Police Command on its part is also trying to reduce the cases of kidnapping to the barest minimum.
The kidnapping in the state has given much concern to Rivers people. And in the past ten (10) months our teams of crime correspondents are monitoring and keeping statistics of the kidnapping cases in the state. The number of kidnapping incident made available has shown that between the months of January and October 2015, no fewer than five hundred and eighty–five (585) persons have found themselves in the hand of kidnappers in Rivers State.
Only few, some of the kidnap cases do not come to the notice of the police.
According to the report, the kidnapping takes place at the different areas of the state.
Emohua/Degema road, Omoku, Amadi-Ama, Abuloma, Woji Village, Elioparanwo and several others are the flash points of this wicked act, that shaking the state to its foundation.
The abductors as we are rightly gathered kidnap their victims indiscriminately. And their ransom ranging from N50m to N20m.
The wicked acts of the kidnappers are now scaring away investors in the state. Business men and women are afraid to site business in any part of the state. No investor will like to do business in a state where his businesses are not protected.
Information made available in our newsroom gave the names of some of the victims of kidnapping as:
- Mrs. Joy Ifeoma Izuorah
- Ven. J.B.J. Lwason
- Prof. (Mrs) Rosemond Osahagolu
- Ann Emeka
- Friday Desmond
- Ven. Isobo Dokubo
- Miss Dornu Kogbara
- Hon. Chimkweru Ejims
- Dayspring Braide
- Prof. Iheanyi
- Bunmi Shoneye
- Judah Ayoade
- Friday Ozogo
- Teresa Nwosu
- Osimoke Itu
- Ogechi Mbadike
- Mr. Okwukwe
- Rev. Moses
Some of the victims who narrated their ordeals while in captivity, sadly, disclosed that their hands and legs were tied for days without food and drink.
According to one Mrs. Ifeoma Uzuorah, the kidnappers tied her in a room for 22 days and used her phone to contact her husband.
She alleged that the abductors released her when her husband paid a ransom of N20m.
In his part, Ven. J.B.J Lawson of African Church Diocese alleged after his kidnap at Emohua/Degema Road, he and his abductors trekked six (6) hours before they arrived their destination. And he spent 9 days in their den.
The worst aspect of it, most of the females abducted by these heartless kidnappers rape them.
Residents of the state who spoke with our correspondents condemned the increasing rate of kidnapping in the state. And called on the government to intensify it’s effort to battle this social menace that has taken root in the state.
