The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kidnapped

  • Rep member kidnapped in Kaduna

    A member of the House of Representatives, representing Takai/Sumaila federal Constituency of Kano state, Hon. Garba Durbunde has been reportedly abducted by unknown persons.

    Durbunde was said to have been abducted at Jere – Abuja Road in Kaduna state on his way from Kano to Abuja on Wednesday at about 5:00pm.

    The Kano state government in a statement confirmed the incident, saying the lawmaker was abducted by 5:00pm on Wednesday.

    Kano state Information Commissioner, Mallam Garba Mohammed who signed the statement said Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, was shocked about the incident, especially at this period of Ramadan.
    The statement called on the police and other security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the lawmaker.

    The Kaduna state police command could not immediately comment on the incident when contacted as its spokesman, Aliyu Usman, told our correspondent that the police will get back to the press.

     

     

  • Kidnapped Edo Chief found in Lagos

    Kidnapped Ihama of Udo, a top chief of Udo Community in Ovia South West local government, Chief Francis Ihama, has been freed and found in Lagos State.

    Chief Ihama was found around Lekki area after spending 12 days with his abductors.

    He was snatched at his residence at Udo by five gun men dressed in Nigerian Army uniform.

    The gunmen were said to have taken him to Ovia River and put him on a speed boat.

    His kinsmen were said to have brought him from Lagos at the weekend.

  • Police rescue two kidnapped Turkish nationals in Akwa Ibom

    •Whereabouts of abducted polytechnic founder remain unknown

    Akwa Ibom State Police Command yesterday said it had rescued the two Turkish Nationals abducted by unknown gunmen in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

    The two expatriates, who worked with a construction firm, VKS Nigeria Construction Limited, were abducted at their hotel in Eket on Sunday, April 9.

    The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, confirmed the release of the expatriates to newsmen during a briefing at the police headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, the state capital. Awunah said five suspects were arrested in connection with the kidnap of the two Turkish nationals.

    The rescue of the expatriates, CP Awunah said, was through the deployment of technical platform and skillful professional negotiation. He said: “The two kidnapped Turkish Nationals were kidnapped and taken to the creeks of Calabar/Oron waterways. Undoubtedly, kidnap for ransom threatened Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Akwa Ibom state.

    “Following sustained Police activities in the waterways, deployment of technical platform, cultivation of actionable intelligence and skillful professional negotiation, the two Turkish gentlemen were released on April 19, 2017. “The victims of crime have been reunited with their colleagues after medical assessment. Five suspects have been arrested and further investigation is ongoing.”

    On the abduction of the proprietor of Sure Polytechnic, Dr Idongesit Udom, the police boss said the command was still on it. CP Awunah said: “On the kidnap of the Sure Polytechnic Proprietor in Ukanafun Local Government Area, we are on it. In any scenario of a case of kidnap for ransom, our primary objective is that we rescue or release the person before we now go after the criminals. “Of course, they (kidnappers) made all kinds of outrageous demand. We can assure you that soon or later he will be release like others.”

    On the murder of Ukanafun Local Government Secretary, Mr. Ime Atakpa, the police boss said the command would unravel those behind the dastardly act. His words: “I was at the scene of crime with the governor of the state. We have put in place special team on special assignment to unravel the circumstance surrounding the murder. Not only that, we are also working on community intelligence.

  • Gunmen kidnap businessman’s wife in Delta

    Gunmen on Tuesday night kidnapped a middle-aged housewife of a businessman, Mrs Christie Orakeme, at her family home in Asaba.

    Family sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Asaba that Orakeme was kidnapped in her car at about 10.25 p.m. while waiting for her son to open the gate for her.

    The source, who is a son of the victim, simply identified as Junior, narrated how the gunmen shot into the air as they drove off in high speed with their victim.

    “My mother went out at about 9 p.m. to attend to some urgent matters in the church. She returned and was waiting at the gate for us to open the gate for her, when some armed men attacked her.

    “They forced her out of her car and put her in their own car, a Mercedes Benz car, and zoomed off. I gave them a chase on foot, and was shouting for help, but no one came out,”Junior said.

    NAN further gathered that the kidnappers had called the family last night with the victim’s cell phone demanding a ransom of N60 million, but later reduced the amount to N25 million.

    Husband of the victim, Mr Osita Orakeme, who arrived from his base in Oghara, near Warri , also confirmed to NAN that the kidnappers called him twice, and have reduced their ransom demand to N25 million.

    “They have called me twice, in fact they called to say I should give them N25 million, but I told them I don’t have such amount of money, and they hung up the phone,”he said.

    Contacted, spokesperson of the Delta Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the incident to NAN on phone, and said the police had commenced investigations after the family reported the matter late Tuesday night.

    “I have been able to confirm the kidnap after the matter was reported to the ‘A’ Division of the State Police Command. Firstly, we have to do everything humanly possible to rescue the victim unhurt.

    “We also need every available information to help us to track down the kidnappers,“Aniamaka said. (NAN)

  • Kidnapped Germans freed in Kaduna

    Kidnapped Germans freed in Kaduna

    •El-Rufai hails police 

    German archaeologist Prof. Peter Breunig and his aide, Johannes Buringer, who were kidnapped in Kaduna State, have been released.

    Police spokesman Aliyu Usman, who confirmed their release yesterday, said the command deployed special anti-kidnapping, anti-rustling forces, in addition to special forces deployed by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, towards the mission.

    He added that the forces are still on the trail of the kidnappers, vowing that they will be arrested and prosecuted.

    “Our utmost priority as a responsive police force is to rescue the abducted Germans; and we have successfully done that through the collaborative efforts of security operatives.

    “We are on the trail of the kidnappers; we will arrest and prosecute them,” Usman said.

    He, however, did not say whether a ransom was paid for the release or not.

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai has lauded the police for securing the victim’s release.

  • Army: no soldier was kidnapped in Lagos

    The Nigerian Army yesterday said no soldier was kidnapped in Lagos.

    The soldier widely reported to have been kidnapped in Lagos only got missing in action (MIA) during an ambush, 81 Division spokesman Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu said in a statement.

    Daudu said: “The officer got missing in action when troops came under heavy ambush during routine patrol of Lagos creeks. I will like to state that no officer was kidnapped. However, while on routine patrol of the creeks around Abule-Ado, Festac Town area in Lagos, troops came under heavy gunfire in an ambush. They were able to fight their way out of the ambush during which the said officer got missing-in-action (MIA). Efforts are ongoing in search of the missing personnel.

    “Troops remain resilient and focused in search of their MIA colleague.’’

    Dandy asked the public for information on the officer and assured them of their continued safety.

  • Kidnapped FRSC man, wife freed

    Kidnapped FRSC man, wife freed

    A Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer, Oluwafemi Ojo, and his wife, who were abducted on the Ogotun-Igbara Odo Road in Ekiti State last Saturday have been freed.

    A relative, who pleaded for anonymity, said they were released on Wednesday after the family paid N1.5 million.

    The source said the kidnappers handed over the couple in a thick bush between Igbara Odo and Ikere.

    He said: “Femi and his wife were released after the family paid N1.5 million to the kidnappers. The money was raised in cash and delivered to them.

    “The family had earlier told them that there was no way we could afford the N20 million they demanded. We haggled with them until they agreed on N1.5 million.

    “The kidnappers advised the family to cooperate and warned against reporting the case to the police.

    “They came out of the bush with their victims and collected the cash before releasing them.”

  • Six travellers kidnapped in Kogi

    Six travellers kidnapped in Kogi

    •Curfew imposed

    Six passengers travelling from Abuja to Onitsha in Anambra State have been kidnapped in Okene Local Government of Kogi State.
    It was learnt the incident occurred yesterday at Achoze village, about 6:30a.m.
    A source said 10 armed men blocked the vehicle and ordered the passengers out.
    The driver, said the source, abandoned the vehicle and ran into the bush, while the abductors shot into the air.
    One of the passengers, who preferred anonymity, said she escaped by the grace of God.
    She said some of the passengers were injured while escaping, adding that they reported the incident to the police in Okene.
    Spokesman Williams Ayah confirmed the incident.
    He said the police would rescue the victims.
    Okene Local Government Administrator Mallam Abdulrazaq Muhammad has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
    He said the decision was taken because of increase in killing and kidnapping, adding that commercial motorcyclists were barred from operating between 6a.m. and 6p.m.

  • Kidnappers release victim after inflicting him with injuries

    A kidnapped victim in Bayelsa State has narrowly escaped death following multiple machete cuts and other injuries inflicted on him by his captors.

    It was gathered that Mr. Loveday Lucky, 48-year-old businessman was later abandoned at the creeks of Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, on Sunday by his abductors.

    It was not; however, clear whether he paid ransom to the hoodlums before regaining his freedom.

    Lucky was reportedly abducted at a gunpoint from his hometown in Sagana town in Brass Local Government Area on January 28 at about 10:45pm by the gunmen.

    But the Chairman of Brass, Mr. Bello Bina, was said to have taken the badly injured kidnap victim into custody.

    Bina, who confirmed the development, warned youths in the area to shun kidnapping, and vowed that any culprit caught would face the full wrath of the law.

    “It’s not only illegal but devilish for anybody to kidnap a fellow human for selfish gains.
    ‎Brass LGA is not a safe haven for Kidnappers or any criminally-minded youth. And I can assure you that Security agents are on red alert”, he said.

    The chairman also cautioned youths from neighboring councils that “come to perpetrate crime in the area to desist from the act”.

    He said: “We are aware that most of the abductors and sea pirates that have been disturbing the area are youths from other LGAs that come to carry out the dastardly acts in order to give Brass a bad name.

    “We will not rest until the criminals that kidnapped Loveday and any other person in Brass LGA are brought to book.

    “They cannot hide. Security agents have already swung into action and they will soon apprehend the abductors in their hideouts and prosecute them accordingly”.

  • Why I kidnapped my boss’ son, by suspect

    Why I kidnapped my boss’ son, by suspect

    A suspect yesterday relieved how he kidnapped his master’s son in order to get his entitlement from him.
    Twenty-three-year old Celestine Chimaobi said he kidnapped Emeka Chukwuyere at Alafia on Orile-Iganmu to force “his father to settle me after serving him for five years”.
    He said: “I served my boss for five years at Mandilas (Lagos Island). After serving him, he took me to my village in Imo State and refused to settle me. So, I returned to Lagos and kidnapped his son, so that he would settle me.”
    Chimaobi, who said he laid ambush for the boy near the house of his master, who trades under the name of Kasco Ltd., stated that he kept him for four days at a hotel where he worked as a cleaner.
    The suspect, who was paraded with his friend, Emmanuel Blessing, 20, said the latter knew nothing about the kidnap.
    He said: “I told Emmanuel that the boy was my brother and that he would be staying with me for some days. He didn’t know I kidnapped the boy. He saw the boy when he came to the hotel and asked me who he was. Then, I told him he’s my brother and that he came to spend some time with me. The next time he came, he saw the boy and I told him the boy would leave on Monday. Then, on Tuesday, we met on the road and I begged him to escort me to the bank so that I can collect money from the Automated Teller Machine (ATM). That’s how we were arrested.
    “I singlehandedly kidnapped the boy. I wanted his father to pay the ransom and I would use it as my settlement. I worked for him for five years. He’s from Okija in Anambra State and I have been selling clothes for him at Mandialas.
    “In the agreement he had with my parents before he took me, he promised to settle me after four years. He started to count my apprenticeship from 2014. In 2016 when he was supposed to settle me, he opened another shop and asked me to be paying him N20,000 monthly. I could not cope because of the recession in the country, so I asked him to settle me as agreed but he refused, rather he sent me back to the village.
    “I came back early January and I stayed in a hotel. It was then that the idea of how to kidnap his son came to me. Last Monday around 7:30am, I laid ambush around the house and picked the boy on his way to school. The boy emerged around 7:45am. He came to me when I called him and I took him away.”
    The suspect said he was caught on Apapa Road in Oyingbo when he went to the bank thinking that the N5million ransom he demanded had been paid.
    He said: “I called my Oga on phone the next day to pay N5 million into my account if he wants to see his son again. I sent him my account number. I was on my way to collect my ATM card from the bank on Apapa Road when I was arrested. I never knew that police were on my trail.”
    Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said: “After we received the complaint, policemen were detailed to investigate the case. During the investigation, the team discovered that the suspects were on their way to the bank to collect the ransom money. They were arrested while on their way to the bank.”