…. Victims asked to call relations for ransom
… Police confirm incident
A commercial bus loaded with about 16 passengers and traveling along Oweri-Elele-Port Harcourt route from Owerri, the Imo State capital, to Port Harcourt was on Saturday July 20 hijacked by suspected kidnappers at about 8.30 a.m.
The true identies of passengers numbering about 16 who were diverted into some of their numerous kidnappers’s camps in the forests at Elele in Ikwerre local Government area of Rivers State remain unknown.
However, the latest update on the kidnap revealed that one of captives was allowed to call members of her families to contribute ransom to set her free.
It was also learnt that the kidnappers have equally allowed other victims to make phone contacts with close relations for ransom ranging from N200,000 to N5 million on each passenger as negotiations continued at the time of this report.
When our Correspondent in Port Harcourt contacted DSP Nnamdi Omoni,the Rivers Public Relations Officer,PPRO, through telephone,he confirmed the abduction but said that he was yet to get the details.
“I can confirm the kidnapping incident on Owerri-Elele road on Saturday,but I am yet to get the details from our officers on ground.”Omoni said
In recent times,Owerri-Elele-Ubima-Omerelu-Port Harcourt axis has been very dangerous for travelers with regular kidnappings of travelers with hefty ransom.
On Thursday,July 18,Commercial Motorists conjunction with members of National Union Road Transport Workers in plying Elele-Omudioga- Omoku route and its environs could not bear the incessant attacks by hoodlums with deaths and robberies on their trail and embarked on a peaceful protest.
The protest was sparked off by the attack on one of the drivers identified as Alfred Igwe-Amadi, which led to the death of his passenger who died on the spot in the early hours of yesterday, July 18.
