Tension in Kogi Over Increase in Kidnapping
Category: Kogi News
There is palpable tension in Kogi State following a sharp increase in cases of kidnapping. Residents told Sunday Trust that no one knows who would be the next victim.
It was gathered that the apprehension is noticed more among the rich as they are the target of the kidnappers. It is also said that this ugly trend has become a lucrative business of sorts in the state as victims are made to pay ransom to secure their freedom.
Investigation by Sunday Trust revealed that the Kogi Central and East senatorial districts are the worst hit.
Between last year and June this year, over eight people are said to have been kidnapped across the state.
Further investigation revealed that kidnapping started in the state in the first quarter of last year when one Mustapha was abducted at his home in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area and was later found dead and buried inside a forest after several weeks.
A younger brother to the former governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu was also kidnapped by gunmen at his Aloma home in Ofu Local Government Area.
He was released after two weeks in captivity.
Furthermore, bursar of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, was kidnapped while his younger brother who tried to resist the action was killed in the process.
However, the bursar was released after three weeks in captivity following the payment of an undisclosed amount of money as ransom.
In February this year, wife and daughter of the chairman of Adavi Local Government Area, Salihu Adaviruku was kidnapped. The woman and her daughter spent over three weeks with the kidnapers before they were released after an undisclosed ransom was paid. The local government chairman, however, denied paying any ransom for their release.
Barely a month after the release of the above victims, two sons of the speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon Momoh Jimoh Lawal, were kidnapped at his resident in Okene. The children were in captivity for over two months because of the inability of the speaker to pay a N200 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers. They were, however, released after two months.
Again, as the people were still battling to secure the release of the speaker’s children, Hajiya Hawawu Bello, mother of the managing director and chief executive officer of Fair Plus Transport, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was kidnapped at her Nagazi Uvete resident in Adavi Local Government Area.
Rector of a federal polytechnic, Mathew Akpata, was also kidnapped at Kogi East, but luck smiled on him as the vehicle in which his abductors were conveying him to their hideout got involved in an accident, and he was abandoned inside the boot of the car.
On May 31, registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Abu Kazim, was abducted from his house at the institution’s premises.
Again in June, a Chinese national was kidnapped at Obajana community in Lokoja, Local Government Area and set free after the payment of an undisclosed ransom.
Commenting on the various cases of kidnapping in the state, a human rights activist and executive director of the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Idris Miliki, said crime in the state was worrisome. He called on security agencies to re-strategise in the fight against crime.
“If the trend is not checked, especially now that election is around the corner, many may use it to intimidate their opponents, and it will affect the development of the state as money that would have been used for business will be paid as ransom,” he said.
Governor Idris Wada warned perpetrators of the dastardly act to desist from it, saying his government will do everything in its powers to make sure that the trend does not continue.
“In kidnapping, once ransom is paid they will keep on doing it. Perpetrators of this crime make use of mobile technology. It is an organised crime,’’ the governor said.
The police public relations officer, Kogi State command, Mr. Emeka Emeh, said the police had put measures in place to tackle the wave of crime in the state.
He called on the public to always give useful information to the police by reporting suspicious movements around them.
Source
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There is palpable tension in Kogi State following a sharp increase in cases of kidnapping. Residents told Sunday Trust that no one knows who would be the next victim.
It was gathered that the apprehension is noticed more among the rich as they are the target of the kidnappers. It is also said that this ugly trend has become a lucrative business of sorts in the state as victims are made to pay ransom to secure their freedom.
Investigation by Sunday Trust revealed that the Kogi Central and East senatorial districts are the worst hit.
Between last year and June this year, over eight people are said to have been kidnapped across the state.
Further investigation revealed that kidnapping started in the state in the first quarter of last year when one Mustapha was abducted at his home in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area and was later found dead and buried inside a forest after several weeks.
A younger brother to the former governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu was also kidnapped by gunmen at his Aloma home in Ofu Local Government Area.
He was released after two weeks in captivity.
Furthermore, bursar of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, was kidnapped while his younger brother who tried to resist the action was killed in the process.
However, the bursar was released after three weeks in captivity following the payment of an undisclosed amount of money as ransom.
In February this year, wife and daughter of the chairman of Adavi Local Government Area, Salihu Adaviruku was kidnapped. The woman and her daughter spent over three weeks with the kidnapers before they were released after an undisclosed ransom was paid. The local government chairman, however, denied paying any ransom for their release.
Barely a month after the release of the above victims, two sons of the speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon Momoh Jimoh Lawal, were kidnapped at his resident in Okene. The children were in captivity for over two months because of the inability of the speaker to pay a N200 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers. They were, however, released after two months.
Again, as the people were still battling to secure the release of the speaker’s children, Hajiya Hawawu Bello, mother of the managing director and chief executive officer of Fair Plus Transport, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was kidnapped at her Nagazi Uvete resident in Adavi Local Government Area.
Rector of a federal polytechnic, Mathew Akpata, was also kidnapped at Kogi East, but luck smiled on him as the vehicle in which his abductors were conveying him to their hideout got involved in an accident, and he was abandoned inside the boot of the car.
On May 31, registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Abu Kazim, was abducted from his house at the institution’s premises.
Again in June, a Chinese national was kidnapped at Obajana community in Lokoja, Local Government Area and set free after the payment of an undisclosed ransom.
Commenting on the various cases of kidnapping in the state, a human rights activist and executive director of the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Idris Miliki, said crime in the state was worrisome. He called on security agencies to re-strategise in the fight against crime.
“If the trend is not checked, especially now that election is around the corner, many may use it to intimidate their opponents, and it will affect the development of the state as money that would have been used for business will be paid as ransom,” he said.
Governor Idris Wada warned perpetrators of the dastardly act to desist from it, saying his government will do everything in its powers to make sure that the trend does not continue.
“In kidnapping, once ransom is paid they will keep on doing it. Perpetrators of this crime make use of mobile technology. It is an organised crime,’’ the governor said.
The police public relations officer, Kogi State command, Mr. Emeka Emeh, said the police had put measures in place to tackle the wave of crime in the state.
He called on the public to always give useful information to the police by reporting suspicious movements around them.
Source
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