As concerned citizens especially commuters continue to grapple with the increasing insecurity along the East West Road, gunmen who kidnapped passengers of a commercial bus Saturday, July 20, 2019 around Elele axis of Ikwerre local Government area of Rivers State, have allegedly issued 48 hours to families of their victims to comply with their terms or risk losing their relatives in their custody.
A brother to one of the female kidnapped victims disclosed to our reporter that the kidnappers gave them 48 hours ultimatum to pay the sum of N3m ransom or their sister will be sold to ritual killers.
The female kidnapped victim’s brother who pleaded anonymity said he heard sounds of gunshots when they gave his sister phone to speak with him on Sunday night, July 21.
He further disclosed that the kidnappers gave them up till the midnight of Tuesday to raise the N3 million if they want to see their sister again.
The man lamented that the family did not have that kind of money but were pleading with the kidnappers to reduce the amount.
The commercial bus which was reportedly enroute Port Harcourt from Owerri when it was abducted by gunmen at Elele about 9:00am on Saturday July 20, close to a Police checkpoint
On Thursday, July 18, gunmen along Elele also shot to death a middle aged woman who was travelling to Omoku for her child’s graduation ceremony while the driver of the vehicle sustained life threatening injuries.
The development led to massive protest by members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Drivers Welfare Association.
The members of both unions during the protest expressed disappointment on the seeming inability of security agents to curb the incessant kidnapping of travellers plying the Elele axis of the East West road.
They also decried the incessant killing of their members and passengers by gunmen.
The protesting unions pleaded with the State Government to recall the ONELGA Security and Advisory Planning Committee(OSPAC) to be in charge of security in that area.
Spokesperson of Rivers State Police command, Nnamdi Omoni did not pick several calls put across to him neither did he respond to text messages sent to him by our reporter on the incident
It would be recalled that the newly deployed Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, CP Danduara Mustapha during his maiden press briefing on Friday, July 15, promised to tackle insecurity especially the incidence of kidnapping along the Emohua and Ikwerre local Government portions of the Eat West road.
Despite the promise by CP Danduara Mustapha, the rate of kidnapping has remained unabated.
