The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kidnapped

  • Kidnapped athletics don regains freedom

    Kidnapped athletics don regains freedom

    The Kidnapped Chairman of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) doping committee, Professor Ken Anugwueje has regained his freedom after his abductors released him allegedly due to the intervention of the authorities of the University of Port Harcourt who were said to have parted with specific ransom in the early hours of Friday.

    Professor Anugwueje was kidnapped on Wednesday morning on his way to the Port Harcourt Airport from UNIPORT where he combines lecturing with being the overseer of the High Performance Centre sited in the premises of the institution for athletes within and outside Nigeria.

    A source told SportingLife that UNIPORT authorities swung into action and had to pay the ransom the abductors said they would be willing to take before allowing him go.

    Speaking on his release, a renown athletics coach, Tobias Igwe said that the High Performance Centre which was close to being a graveyard after the announcement of his abduction has returned to life and athletes were happy to return to the tracks for continuation of the build up to the next year’s Rio Olympics.

    He thanked God for sparing the life of the Professor whom he termed as God’s given talent to athletics while adding that kidnappers should desist from the act that would make the country’s image to be tarnished outside Nigeria.

  • Kidnapped Dolphin’s GM regains freedom, relives ordeal

    The General Manager (GM) of Dolphin Football Club of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Joe Johnson, who was abducted last Sunday, has regained his freedom.

    Johnson was rescued from his kidnappers on Thursday by men of the Nigeria Police after raiding the kidnapper’s hideout in an undisclosed oil location in the state.

    He has since been reunited with his family.

    The GM was reportedly kidnapped around 7:30 am on Sunday between Aluu and Omuogba communities of Obio/Akpor while on his way to grace his club’s match in Jos, Plateau State.

    Narrating his ordeal in the hands of his abductors shortly after his arrival in Port Harcourt, the footballer said he was tortured, tied up and blindfolded by his kidnappers, just as his clothes were torn off his body.

    According to him, the hoodlums demanded N15 million ransom from his family members, but expressed gratitude to the Police for rescuing him.

    He narrated how he was kidnapped and his experience in the kidnappers dean, “On Sunday morning, I left for the airport at about 7:30 am, because of our match with GIWA FC in Jos, Plateau State.

    “Between Aluu and Omuagba, I was intercepted by an ambush of five armed men who ordered me out of the car and relocated me to the back seat, where they sat on me and blindfolded me and took over the steering.

    “At a point, the car stopped working and they though my car was tracked. At that point, they pushed me into the bush where we spent the whole day until they brought two motor-cycles around 10 pm. From there, they moved me to an uncompleted building in a different location, where we spent Sunday night.

    “When we got into the uncompleted building, they used my belt to tie up my legs and used another rope to tie my hands backwards and dropped me on the floor with my eyes blindfolded.

    “Early the next morning o f Monday, they now moved me to another location where I was rescued by the Police.

    “Although I fed on tea without bread all through the days I spent with them, except the last day when I decided to fast and ask for God’s intervention. I was manhandled, brutalized and had my clothes torn by my captors.

    “On Thursday afternoon, while I was laying down with one of the two guards that were with me, I was observing a fast, I noticed that he had a call and hurriedly got up and left the room, leaving me alone, with the door open.

    “When I tried to find out what the matter was, he ignored me and disappeared. But, because I did not want to attract more punishment, I didn’t stand up. They had warned me  never to stand up until they asked me to, and whenever I was pressed, I informed them and they led me out and back.

    “However, I sensed that something was not right, because all of a sudden, I heard two gunshots, although they normally fire their pump action gunshots, but I soon realized that it was not my captors, because they had escaped.

    Expressing excitement and gratitude to the police for the safe rescue of her husband, the wife of the victim, Victoria, said, “I thank the police for this feat. I never knew they can be this fast, I have gone through a lot in this few days, talking and negotiating with the kidnappers. Imagine when they will threaten that they were going to kill him. It was very scary.”

    In his reaction, the Police spokesman, Mohammed Ahmed, said no arrest has been made, but assured members of the public that the police are on their trail.

    “When we received the information of his kidnap, we swore that we must rescue him safely and the operation was coordinated in a professional manner, leading to this quick result. In this kind of situation, what we do is to first get the victim rescued before going for the kidnappers, and I assure the public to continue to cooperate with us, we will definitely arrest his abductors.”

  • Kidnapped Pastor regains freedom in Ondo

    After spending eleven days in captivity,the pastor- in-charge of the Apostolic Faith Church, Ilepa in Ikare Akoko, Pastor Japhet Obafemi has regained his freedom.

    He was kidnapped barely 24 hours after the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF)Chief Olu Falae was abducted in his Ilado village farm site.

    Sources said the 70-year-old cleric was released by his abductors at Ise-Akoko few kilometres from where he was picked last week Monday along Auga-Akunnu road in Akoko North-East Local government area of ondo state.

    It was learnt that the suspected kidnappers eventually released the pastor without collecting any ransom.

    The Cleric was abducted at a time he was just being discharged from hospital after months of sickness.

    The abductors had earlier demanded for N60m ransom,which they later reduced to N16m.

    They told his wife,Olu to sell all their properties in order to get the the money demanded.

    Narrating his ordeal Pastor Obafemi who sustained injury on his head noted that he trekked over six kilometres from the bush where he was released to Ise-Akoko.

    At the Cleric’s mission house at Ilepa-ikare, prominent people including religious leaders were visiting to felicitate with him, his Wife Hannah, and church members.

    The Caretaker Chairman of Akoko North East Local Government, Alhaji Azeez Al-Amam, expressed appreciation to the Media, Security Agencies and Governor Olusegun Mimiko for their various roles in ensuring the rescue of the cleric.

  • Kidnapped AAU lecturer yet to be released

    A lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, at the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, Dr. Paul Erie, has not been released, 103 days after his abduction.

    Dr. Erie was reportedly kidnapped from his Igbanke country home in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

    The abductors were said to have collected a ransom from the family but failed to release the academic.

    His colleagues at the university have been protesting his abduction.

    It was learnt that the police arrested two suspects at the weekend over the incident.

    The suspects, according to police sources, took policemen to their hideout in a bush, but the others reportedly escaped.

    Police spokesman Stephen Onwochei, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said he could not confirm the development, but promised to get back to our reporter.

    The community’s monarch, Dr Isaac Uwaifo, Onojie of Omolua, told our reporter that the community was in shock, following Dr Erie’s abduction.

    He said: “We have not heard from them. We heard that they spoke once to his wife. But after that, they have not sent any message – written or oral. Our people are worried.”

     

  • Candidate kidnapped as poly holds SUG election

    Candidate kidnapped as poly holds SUG election

    The Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi (AUCHI POLY) in Edo State has held its election amid intimidation and violence.

    One of the two presidential candidates in the election, David Utibe of the Department of Computer Science, was kidnapped by unknown hoodlums a few days to the election.

    David, who was kidnapped with others, was released on the day of the manifesto. He had bandage on his arm and walked with the aid of crutches.

    The school authorities are investigating the incident, which prevented David from carrying on with his campaign.

    Despite the violence and pressure from students, the Auchi Polytechnic Electoral Commission (APECO) did not postpone the election, clearing the way for David’s rival Joseph Iroghama, an HND 1 Accountancy student, to intensify his campaign. The election was held at the Philipa Idogho campus.

    Announcing the results, the electoral committee declared Joseph the winner, having polled 4,639 votes to beat David, who had 3,687 votes.

    Also, Adaeze Ofuzor is Vice-President with 3,437 votes, while Courage Ohenzuwa emerged the General Secretary with 4,414 votes.

    Others are Assistant General Secretary, Chinenye Ossai, Director of Finance, Smart Osarodion, Treasurer, Peter Nwaoshai, Director of Welfare, Itama Omoye, Deputy Director of Welfare, Taofiq Yakubu, Director of Socials, Samuel Ekhator, Director of Publicity, Isaac Imohimi, and Director of Sports, Ezekiel Osarumwense.

    Joseph, in his acceptance speech, promised to pursue policies that would have a direct impact on students’ welfare. He said dialogue would be the key tool of his administration, saying: “I will serve as an intermediary between management and students. I will not give reason to students to fight management or make management see reasons to victimise students. I will always employ dialogue and negotiation to drive our agitation.”

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that David had been admitted into an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

     

  • Columnist kidnapped in Port Harcourt

    A columnist with Vanguard, Donu Kogbara, has been kidnapped in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Her abductors reportedly stormed her home in Nkpogu, Port Harcourt, in a CRV car amid gunshots.

    Eyewitnesses, who spoke in confidence for security reasons, told our reporter that the abductors left with the columnist to an unknown place.

    The hoodlums, it was learnt last night, had not contacted the writer’s family for ransom.

    Police spokesman Muhammad Kidaya Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the abduction.

    He said the police command was trailing the abductors, adding that Kogbara would soon be rescued.

  • Columnist kidnapped in Port Harcourt

    A columnist with Vanguard newspaper, Dornu Kogbara, has been kidnapped in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The gunmen, who seized Kogbara Sunday morning, stormed her Nkpogu-Port Harcourt residence in a CRV car, amid gunshots, according to witnesses, who pleaded not to be named for security reason.

    The kidnappers immediately disappeared with the columnist, whose whereabouts remained unknown, while contact for ransom payment had not been established with her family members, as at press time.

  • Ex-LG chairman’s mother kidnapped

    A 75 year old woman, Hajiya Umma Rijau has been kidnapped by some unknown gun men from her home in Rijau, headquarters of Rijau Local Government area of Niger State.

    The kidnappers have placed a N100 million ransome on the octogenarian, fondly called Hajiya Umma.

    Eye witness said Rijau who is the mother of a one time Rijau local government chairman, Audu Berri Rijau was kidnapped on Saturday night at about 10:45pm by three gun men who stormed her house shooting into the air.

    It was further gathered that the gun men cashed in on the absence of their victim’s son to storm the house and took her away.

    She was later reportedly taken away towards the neighboring Kebbi state indicating that the aged woman may have been taken to Kebbi.

    In an attempt to cover their flanks for Police investigations, it was learnt that the kidnappers after abducting Hajiya Umma abandoned their operational vehicle, set it ablaze and snatched motorbike from nearby villagers before escaping.

    A family member who spoke in confidence confirmed the incident and said that the kidnappers have made contact with the family demanding for a ransome of N100 million.

    According to our source, “the kidnappers were talking though when they contacted with us. They threatened to shoot Hajiya Umma if the N100 million was not paid. This threat has been a thing of concern to us”.

    ‪Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Niger state command, Mr. Bala Elkana (ASP) confirmed the incident. He said, “immediately the incident happened, special anti kidnapping team in the area was mobilized and they were on top of the situation”.‬

  • kidnapped teenager found in Jos

    kidnapped teenager found in Jos

    A teenage girl who claimed she was kidnapped since March this year has been found in Riyom local government of Plateau state.

    The girl who can only remember her name identified herself as Rukayatu but she could not clearly explain where she was kidnapped from.

    In a statement released by the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis, code named operation safe haven through the media officer Captian Ikedichi Iweha, the girl has been in their custody while efforts have been intensified to trace the parents of the girl.

    The statement reads, “The attention of the general public is by this notice called to help in identifying the person in this photograph. She gave her name as Rukayatu and she is about 12- 14 years old. She has been in STF custody for Two (2) days within which time efforts have been made to contact her relations. She claims has been missing since March 2015 and have been held against her will by unknown persons since then.

    ” Members of the general public who recognize her are please requested to contact the Special Task Force (OPERATION SAFE HAVEN) Jos or the Department of State Security Service, Plateau State Command for identification and further action.”

  • 80-year-old woman kidnapped in Ekiti

    After a brief lull, kidnapping has resurfaced in Ekiti State.

    An 80-year-old woman, Mrs. Rose Aina, has been abducted in Ilogbo-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.

    Madam Aina was said to have been abducted at 9pm on Tuesday and her whereabouts remain unknown.

    Her kidnap has thrown the community into despair and panic as residents now live in fear, following the incident.

    It was gathered yesterday that search parties had not yielded any result.

    The octogenarian was said to be sleeping in her room when the kidnappers whisked her off to an unknown destination.

    A source said Ilogbo community was worried about the “strange” incident.

    He said: “We have been searching for the old woman without success and nobody knows where they have taken her to.

    “The kidnappers have not contacted her family and this has heightened our fear.

    “This is an old woman, a woman who depends on her children and Good Samaritans.

    “The whole community is afraid and we now live in perpetual fear because it can happen to anybody. We are more concerned because we are no longer safe.

    “In a state or country where we have police and other security agencies, this is very unfortunate.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said efforts were on to secure the release of the octogenarian.