The Nation Newspaper

Tag: abducted

  • Boko Haram threatens to kill abducted French family

    Boko Haram threatens to kill abducted French family

    Gunmen claiming to be members of Boko Haram threatened yesterday to kill a kidnapped French family of seven, if authorities in Nigeria and Cameroun do not release detained Muslim militants.

    Yesterday, North’s governors urged the fundamentalist group and its cohorts Ansaru to lay down their arms.

    French ministers said they believed the three adults and four children snatched in Cameroon’s far north, near Borno State border last Tuesday, were being held by Boko Haram which has killed hundreds in their campaign to carve out an Islamist state in Nigeria.

    The first sign of the family since they were captured came in a video posted on YouTube in which they appeared surrounded by three gunmen wearing turbans and dressed in camouflage.

    “We have been taken by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad,” one of the male hostages said in the video, referring to the name in Arabic of Boko Haram.

    “They want the liberation of their brothers in Cameroon and their women imprisoned in Nigeria,” the man added, speaking in French as he sat on the floor beside another man, a veiled woman and four children.

    “A video of the French family kidnapped in northern Cameroon last Tuesday has just been posted by Boko Haram,” said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. “These images are terribly shocking and show a cruelty without limits.”

    The hostage-taking highlighted the risk to French citizens after France sent thousands of troops into Mali last month to oust al Qaeda-linked Islamists operating in the north.

    “The president of France has launched a war on Islam and we are fighting it everywhere,” said one of the apparent kidnappers, speaking in Arabic and identifying himself as a member of Boko Haram. “Implement our demands. If you leave out even one, we will kill these people.”

    Boko Haram has previously posted videos in Hausa, but the black and white flag that hung behind the hostages in the released video is more associated with al Qaeda-linked groups.

    A spokesman for Boko Haram had denied any connection with the kidnapping at the weekend.

    However, security experts say Boko Haram is made up of multiple cells, without a defined command structure.

    The militant group is known to have had some links to al Qaeda factions in North Africa and Mali, but experts say they appear limited for now.

    Cameroon’s Communication Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said he could not comment because his government was not aware of the video.

     

  • Toddler abducted in Ebonyi

    A three-year old boy, Ejike Emmanuel, has been abducted by unknown gunmen in Ishiagu Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    The distraught mum, Mrs. Nnennaya Emmanuel, said the incident occurred when she left Ejike with his four- year old sister, Nkiruka.

    She said: “I fry bean cakes for a living. On that day, I left my son with his sister, as I tried to close shop for the day.

    “I went to return a bench, when I came back I met my daughter Nkiru crying.

    “She said two men came on a motorbike and seized the boy from her.

    “I only managed to see the back of the two men on a bike that Nkiru was pointing at.

    “I raised the alarm but before the villagers could gather, the men had disappeared with my son.

    “The villagers organised a search party that night and since then till now, my son has not been found neither has the abductors contacted us.”

    The father, Emmanuel Anyim, said: “I still believe my son would be found. What is most painful is that we saw the back of the men who abducted our son.”

    The Divisional Police Officer, Robert Duru, said two children– a boy and a girl– out of the eight abducted in last December and early January have been found in Owerri, Imo State.

    Duru said the two children were seen with a woman, who bought them for N600, 000.

    He said the boy was sold for N450,000, the girl N150, 000, adding that the woman has been arrested.

     

  • Bayelsa House Leader’s mum abducted

    Madam Esther Akpe, mother of the Leader of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Peter Akpe, has been kidnapped.

    The 59-year-old was said to have been snatched on Tuesday at 9pm by armed men, who invaded her home at Ebedebiri in Sagbama Local Government.

    The abduction is coming on the heels of Governor Seriake Dickson’s warning that he would sign the death warrant of convicted abductors.

    Dickson’s position came few hours after the abduction of Festus and Ebiye Ebegu, the parents of Ogbia Local Government Area Chairman, Richard, from their Oloibiri country home.

    The kidnappers were said to have stormed the community in a speedboat. They were said to have fired sporadically into the air to scare away the people.

    A source said: “The woman was sitting outside and was about to go into her house when she heard gunshots.

    “She was grabbed by her captors who dragged her into their waiting speedboat.

    “The abductors were about five and armed. They took her away into their speedboat and headed towards Bomadi in Delta State.”

    Her son, Akpe, confirmed the incident but said the kidnappers have not contacted the family.

    The atmosphere at the Assembly was gloomy as plenary was postponed.

    Sympathisers, including lawmakers and staff, gathered to discuss the incident.

    Police spokesman Fidelis Odunna confirmed the incident.

    “Our men are on their trail,” Odunna said.

  • Bayelsa Speaker’s mother kidnapped

    Unknown gunmen on Monday kidnapped the mother of the Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson.

    The 78-year old Betinah Okunwa Benson was abducted in the early hours of Monday at her country in Korokorosei community, Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

    The gunmen, according to eyewitnesses, got hold of her before shooting sporadically in the air to scare residents away.

    Her captors later bundled her into a waiting speed boat at the community waterfront and sped off to an unknown destination, the eyewitnesses told our correspondent.

    The Nation gathered that Betinah was with her son in Yenagoa all these while until late December last year when she went to Korokorosei community for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    The Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Mr. Piriye Kiyaramo, who confirmed the incident, said nobody has information on her whereabouts as the kidnappers had not given reasons for their action.

    Kiyaramo said the matter has been reported to the police.

     

  • Abducted Gombe lawmaker released

     

    The abducted member of Gombe State House of Assembly, Alhaji Jalo Ganga, has been released.

    The lawmaker was kidnapped while returning from his morning prayers on Sunday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ganga was released on Wednesday night by his captors, and was reunited with his family at about 10.30 p.m.

    Speaking to journalists in Ganga’s house on Thursday, the legislator’s younger brother, Malam Abdulkadir Mohammed-Yelwa, said his brother arrived home on a motorcycle at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

    He said that members of his family, friends and relations were happy to receive the legislator, adding that God had answered their prayers.

    “We are very happy seeing our brother. He has returned and met with his family; but right now he is not at home.

    “He came back and told people not to worry that he had arrived safely. May be later in the day or tomorrow, you will see him and talk with him. We thank everybody who helped us in prayers,’’ he said.

    Mohammed-Yelwa said that his brother went to the Government House shortly after he met with his family.

    Speaking to NAN, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Fwaje Atajiri, said the lawmaker was released unconditionally, adding that he had gone to the Government House.

     

     

  • Gombe lawmaker abducted

    Unidentified persons yesterday kidnapped a member of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Alhaji Jalo Ganga (PDP-Gombe North), in his home.

    A source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the kidnappers arrived the lawmaker’s home on a motorcycle.

    They reportedly abducted him around 5am when he was going for his morning (Subuhi) prayers.

    The source said the lawmaker shouted for help but to no avail.

    Ganga was said to have been taken to an unknown destination.

    Police Commissioner Mohammed Sule confirmed the incident.

    He said: We just heard this morning that some hoodlums came with a motorcycle while he was going to pray. He was accosted and they took him on a motorcycle. It seemed a vehicle was parked close to his house, because people said they heard the sound of a vehicle zooming off.”

    The police chief explained that the kidnappers abandoned their motorcycle with no number plate.

    He assured that the police would rescue the lawmaker.

    Sule said: “My investigators and intelligence officers are already working to trace his whereabouts and the motive behind his kidnap.”

    The police commissioner said the lawmaker’s two mobile phones were abandoned.

    He wondered if a ransom was the motive for the kidnap.

    The State Director of the State Security Services (SSS), Mr Bitrus Asher, also confirmed the incident.

    House of Assembly Speaker Inuwa Garba said: “We are making some efforts, please. I don’t want to say anything about it now.”.

    NAN reports that Ganga is the Chairman of House Committee on Finance.

    The lawmaker was at the Seventh Annual Cultural Festival, organised by the Tangale ethnic group on Saturday.

  • Abducted four-year-old pupil found, 24 days after

    Four-year old Master Onyedikachukwu Ede, a nursery 1 pupil of Precious Child Foundation School, Agu Uwani, Akwuke, Enugu, who was abducted from the school premises on November 5, 2012, has been found.

    He was said to have been found at a bus stop at Garriki, Awkunanaw Enugu on Thursday evening.

    A good Nigerian found the abandoned child crying while roaming the street and took him to the nearest police station at Awkunanaw.

    Little Onyedikachi  went to school on the fateful day and a lady called Sister Faith, who lived in the neighbourhood with a boy friend, came to the Precious Foundation School on the pretense that she was taking him away to buy him something to eat when the school dismissed.

    Unknown to the school proprietor, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, the said ‘Sister Faith’ had ulterior motive, and so they released the child only to learn later that the lady made away with the child.

    It was learnt that what prompted the school head to release the child to the lady in question was because she had come to the school the previous Friday, November 2, prior to the fateful Monday, and convinced the proprietor that the boy was known to her.

    It was also gathered that Onyekachi’s mother died immediately he was born four years ago on March 14, 2009 and that was what made it possible for everybody in the neighbourhood to smother him with love because he is living with a single parent with his other siblings who are older than him.

    As a result of the disappearance of the lady with the child, the school proprietor; Sister Faith’s boy friend, keke driver and his landlord were arrested by the police and kept in detention ever since, while investigation into the matter continued.

    Sources said that while the child was missing, his father, Mr. Michael Ede, went to a prayer house where he learnt that his child was not dead but alive and that the lady did not know how to return him.

    According to the story, the deity where they took him for ritual purposes did not  accept his blood for sacrifices.

    It was jubilation galore on Thursday night throughout Agu Uwani, Akwuke when the news broke out that the missing child had been found 24 days after he disappeared, hale and hearty.

    People trooped the Awkunanaw Police Station, Thursday night, to catch a glimpse of the missing child.

    The Enugu police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident but did not say whether the child has been released to the parent or whether the police will still continue to detain the school proprietor and others in SARS custody.

  • Southeast PDP chief, daughters abducted

    •Kidnappers demand N10m ransom

    The Assistant Financial Secretary of the Southeast Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Agbapuonwu, has been kidnapped. Also abducted are his two daughters.

    It was learnt that the lawyer was abducted on Sunday evening at Nkpor, near Onitsha, when he was returning to Awka from Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    Agbapuonwu was said the in company of his two daughters.

    Police spokesman Raphael Uzoigwe told The Nation yesterday that he had not been briefed about the incident. It was learnt that the abductors were demanding N10million ransom.

    A source, who spoke in confidence yesterday, said the kidnappers operated in a Mitsubishi L-300 bus.

    The source said: “We were told that Agbapuonwu was driving in his Toyota Avalon car from Asaba to Awka when he had a call and immediately packed at Nkpor to answer it. It was there the bus occupants attacked him.

    “Somebody overheard them shouting, ‘Oya, leave that car and enter here immediately. If you make any move, you’ll have yourself to blame’. We also learnt that he begged them to take with him his daughters. But they refused. The kidnappers asked him to call somebody to come and drive his children home.

    “My brother, we know that the security agents and the state government are trying their best, but their best is not enough. This has become a constant feature in Onitsha. Unidentified persons now move about in buses, kidnapping people at random.”

    When The Nation called the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chairman in Awka, Chief S.O.S. Mbanaso, he said somebody had told him about the incident.

    The senior lawyer, however, added that he was yet to confirm it.

    Uzoigwe said he needed to establish contacts with the Onitsha Area Command before he would file a report on the matter.

  • Abducted groom dies

    A man, Zubairu Abioye Balogun, who was allegedly abducted on his wedding day in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, is dead.

    Balogun died last Saturday at a private medical centre and was buried immediately according to Islamic rites.

    He was allegedly abducted by yet-to-be identified men on September 28 and kept incommunicado for about five days.

    The two-day wedding preparation between Balogun and his heartthrob began on Thursday, September 27. But the groom disappeared on Friday morning and his whereabouts remained unknown for five days.

    His family was said to have received a call the following day. The caller said Balogun’s body would be dumped in Kangu, near the Michael Imodu National Institute for Labour Studies in Ilorin.

    When the family got to the place, a stranger reportedly ordered them to leave the deserted area or face danger.

    The wedding ceremony had begun with the traditional aisun iyawo, the wedding eve’s vigil, which lasted until the early hours of Friday.

    The groom was found naked by a commercial motorcycle operator (Okada man) in a bush at Kangu-Olunlade village, outskirts of Ilorin, on October 2, by his abductors.

    He was said to be shivering with cold.

    Balogun was reportedly taken to a hospital for treatment.

    When his condition deteriorated at the hospital, a source said he was conveyed to an undisclosed healing home.

    He did not regain consciousness until his death.

    The late Balogun’s younger brother, Kehinde, confirmed his brother’s death.

    He said the police were yet to uncover the mystery of his abduction or arrest the abductors.

  • Delta Commissioner abducted

    Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education Prof. Hope Eghagha was yesterday abducted by unknown gunmen.

    A police orderly attached to the commissioner was killed.

    The incident happened on the Abraka/Agbor Expressway. It was learnt that Eghagha’s driver sustained bullet wounds.

    The commissioner was returning to Asaba from his village, Ughile, in a black Land Cruiser Prado, marked DT01D06, when the gunmen attacked him at Owa-Ekei Jnction in Ika North East Local Government Area.

    The Nation gathered that the gunmen, who operated in a cream Toyota Camry car, trailed the commissioner from Warri and fired several shots at his car.

    They escaped with Eghagha, leaving the police orderly in a pool of blood. The driver was rushed to Agbor Central Hospital.

    Police spokesman Charles Muka confirmed the incident. He said the police are on the trail of the kidnappers.

    Muka said: “Very soon, they will be smoked out.”

    The kidnappers have not made any demand.