The kidnapping spree along the Emohua-Kalabari road in Rivers State continues, as guunmen attacked a private vehicle and abducted two of the occupants, on Tuesday night.
This came barely four days after a similar fate befell five passengers of a commercial bus who were whisked away by the miscreants terrorising the area.
However, the Police had confirmed the rescue of four of the six abductees, while intensifying efforts to rescue the last victim, as well as to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
On the latest incident, a driver at the Choba Park, in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the state, confirmed the kidnap to our correspondent on Wednesday morning.
The driver who pleaded anonymity, said it was a private vehicle loaded with illegally refined petroleum products and headed towards Choba, near the University of Port Harcourt.
He said the incident occured at about 8pm, on the same spot where a commercial bus driver was killed and eight of his passengers kidnapped a fortnight ago, as well as well the abduction of five passengers last Saturday.
He said,”There were two persons in the car. The driver and another man. The vehicle was loaded with adulterated kerosene.
“The kidnappers took two of them and left the vehicle there. Policemen went and saw the car and they were acting as if something was scaring them away from the car.
“A driver that drove past the vehicle said it occured around 8pm in the night. He said when he was coming, he saw the two occupants of the vehicle coming towards Choba.
“Now we have confirmed it because the relative of the occupants of the vehicle are now looking for a tow van to remove the vehicle. It is the same spot that they killed one of our drivers. The same spot that they kidnapped five passengers. It is the same spot where that vehicle iwa packed.
He called for the immediate enforcement of a ban on night travels on the Emuoha-Kalabari road.
Also, a native of Abonnema, a Kalabari speaking community, Mr. Emmy Georgewill, disclosed that the kidnappers have contacted a friend of one of the abductees and demanded a random of N50 million.
George said,” These kidnappers are camped in the Emuoha bushes, I stand to be corrected.
“If they don’t come in a car, when they kidnap people, they will carry their captors on foot into the bush.
“A friend to one of the guys that was kidnapped said the guy was calling him yesterday night, he was not picking. So early this morning, they kidnappers used another number to call him, and they are requesting for N50 million.”
When contacted, Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko said the incident had not been reported to the police.
She said, “The command has not received report of the incident yet. But when such things happen, let the people of that area report it to the nearest police station.
“It is sad that even the victims don’t come to the police when they are released. They prefer to go to the media.”
