The commissioner in charge of power, Augustine Wokocha, was kidnapped over the weekend.

Police sources told Saharareporters that Mr. Wokocha was kidnapped with the librarian of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni local government area. Also, kidnapped was Dr. R F Quadri and the school's director of Academic Planning and Statistics, Dr. Richard Ihua Maduenyi.

The commissioner was kidnapped as he was returning from Ahoada town some 35 miles from Port harcourt the Rivers state capital. Family sources stated that Wokocha was seized around 6:30 PM on Ahoada-Omoku road in the state.

A police source said the kidnappers are yet to make any demands for ransom. The governor of Rivers state Rotimi Amaechi has reportedly suppressed the kidnap story from getting any media attention in the state.

Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Hope Eghagha, who was kidnapped in a deadly attack on September 30 2012 has been released by his abductors.

Mr. Eghagha was abducted as he was returning from Warri to Asaba, the capital of his home state after a family visit.

The kidnappers shot and killed Mr. Eghagha’s police orderly before speeding off with the commissioner towards Ubiarukwu road in Ukwuani local government area in the state.

Delta state government officials today told SaharaReporters that Mr. Eghagha has been reunited with his family.

The abducted wife of the Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salam, on Saturday regained her freedom from her kidnappers after about five days in captivity.

The speaker’s first wife, Muiba, was abducted in Ejigbo, Osun State, last Tuesday by unknown gunmen who chased her car and abducted her as she attempted to escape.

Acting on a tip-off, security operatives on Saturday stormed the Ogunmakin, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway hideout of the kidnappers and rescued Mrs. Salam after an exchange of fire.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that two of the suspected kidnappers who attempted to smuggle the Osun Speaker’s wife from the hideout were shot dead by the rescue team.

Three other members of the gang were also arrested and handed over to the State Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

The State Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, declined to comment on the rescue mission.

As at 8.00pm on Saturday, Okoye said he was yet to be given details of the incident.

Security sources however, disclosed that the Ogun State Vigilance Service carried out the arrest of the kidnappers and the rescue.

A statement by the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, on Saturday night, rejoiced with the Speaker on the rescue of his wife.

Several people thronged the palace of the Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyesosin, on Saturday, after receiving the news of the rescue just as the Speaker’s residential quarters in Osogbo was visited by numerous sympathisers.

THE PUNCH had exclusively reported that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N200m for the release of the 38-year-old woman and mother of four.

LAGOS, Nigeria: Police say they've found the body of a Lebanese construction worker kidnapped for ransom in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta.

Rivers state police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam said Wednesday that the man's body was found in the bush by locals. The spokesman said the Lebanese man had apparently been shot to death after being earlier kidnapped from a construction site near Port Harcourt International Airport.

Militants and criminal gangs in the Niger Delta routinely target expatriate workers and middle- and upper-class Nigerians for ransom. Typically, hostages remain safe until a negotiated ransom is paid.

AUGUST 31, 2012 will, forever, remain indelible in the memory of Mrs Johnson Akinsanjo following the circumstances that resulted in the death of her husband, thereby plunging her into an unprepared status of widowhood.

Her late husband, Johnson, 47, a popular fishing businessman in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, had gone to pick his wife at the Ibeshe Jetty where she oversees a section of the family business, without knowing that tragedy was ahead of him.

As the couple was about entering their compound, three men armed with guns and cutlasses, attacked them and ordered them to go into their apartment, from where they dispossessed them of cash, phones, laptops and other valuables. Time was 9 p.m.

Apparently not satisfied with their loot, the armed men took Johnson outside, ordered him into his Sports Utility Vehicle with number plate KRD 480 AE, and zoomed off to an unknown destination, leaving his distraught wife behind. She immediately reported the case at Ipakodo Police Station, from where a search was conducted round without any sight of the man. But only his car was recovered.

Just as the policemen were contemplating on the next move, Mrs Akinsanjo received a phone call where the strange caller requested for a ransom of N2 million before her husband would be released. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umaru Manko, directed a crack team of detectives attached to the State Intelligence Bureau to carry out a thorough and discreet investigation led by Inspector Bright Igbinoba. The team reportedly swung into action and, using the communication network, succeeded in tracking them down after extending their investigations to Auchi, Benin-city in Edo State and Sagamu in Ogun State.

It was after their arrest that the suspects confessed that they killed their victim before even demanding for ransom. One of the suspects, Wahab Mutaru, gave a mind-boggling account of how the businessman was killed in a thick bush behind Redemption Camp in Ogun State. The 32 year-old man who hails from Edo State also confessed to have given details of the deceased to members of his gang, blaming his criminality on his desperate need to get money to pay his rent.

Kidnapping in Nigeria, in recent times, has become more prevalent just as the perpetrators of the act are becoming more daring. A criminal act, which first attracted national attention in 2006 when Niger Delta militants kidnapped foreign oil workers to press home their demand, kidnapping has since become ubiquitous and commercialised. It has spread from the Niger Delta to virtually all nooks and crannies of the country. Those behind the recent wave of the despicable act have also changed from being exclusively Niger Delta militants to dodgy elements from different walks of life, armed robbers, unemployed, professional fraudsters and even religious bigots.

There is no doubt that Nigeria is today one of the major kidnapping capitals of the world. This has obvious implications for investments, the country’s development trajectory and even the quality of governance. Similarly, victims have changed from being predominantly foreign oil workers to Nigerians, including parents, grandparents, footballers and toddlers and about anyone who has a relative that could be blackmailed into coughing out a ransom. Recently, Nigerian international midfielder and Leece player, Christian Obodo, was kidnapped. However, the Nigerian Police rescued Obodo without the payment of a ransom demanded by his abductors.

That was not the first time a footballer would be kidnapped in Nigeria.

International defender, Onyekachi Apam, was kidnapped by armed men who took his car before releasing him.

Nornu Yobo, elder brother of Everton defender Joseph, was famously kidnapped in 2008 in oil-rich Port Harcourt.

Nornu was released after 10 days but it was never made clear whether a ransom was paid.


Last year, in August precisely, the father of Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi was also seized in Jos. Nigerian Police, however, rescued Michael Obi senior from his abductors days later.

Also, traditional rulers have been kidnapped.

Gunmen recently kidnapped Robert Chukwudilim Eze, the traditional ruler of Ukpo community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Eze, who is also a relation to Chief Arthur Eze, a business magnate, was abducted around 11.20 a.m. in his palace, after attending a church service at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Upko. He was later released.

Again, after spending nine days in captivity, the traditional ruler of Okordia Kingdom in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, King Richard Seiba, who was abducted by unknown gunmen, breathed the air of freedom after he was rescued from his kidnappers.

The list of kidnapped people keeps growing daily and a lot of questions have been raised as regards the reasons behind the seeming air of freedom and reckless abandon with which the kidnappers operate. While some critics point fingers to the laxity in the security frame work in the country, others blame the government for its failure to provide jobs and employment for the youths of the nation who constitute the majority of kidnappers. Some also blame politicians and people in the corridors of power for sponsoring some of the kidnapping. Unemployment
According to Awogbenle and Iwuamadi (2010) in a paper titled Youth Unemployment and Implications for Stability of Democracy in Nigeria, statistics from the Manpower Board and the Federal Bureau of Statistics show that there are about 80 million Nigerian youths, representing 60 per cent of the total population of the country. Also, 64 million of them are unemployed, while 1.6 million are under-employed.

The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, noted recently that Nigeria's unemployment rate stands at 11 per cent yearly. Adesina, who expressed concern at the situation, put youth employment rate at over 50 per cent.

“Our unemployment rate is spiralling, driven by the wave of four million young people entering the workforce every year, with only a small fraction able to find formal employment," he said.

Emmanuel Onwubiko and Nneka Okonkwo of the Human Rights Writers' Association of Nigeria, in their report on youth unemployment and restiveness, stressed that the high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria gave cause for concern. "Every year, thousands of graduates leave tertiary institutions with no prospects of getting jobs. The government agencies concerned with employment have failed to formulate and implement policies that will provide jobs for the large army of unemployed Nigerians. The federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity has failed to sufficiently galvanise the talents and high energy levels of young Nigerian graduates.

“The streets are littered with young hawkers who would have found gainful employment as self-employed persons. Teenage female street traders are constantly faced with the threat of sexual molestation by depraved adults while the Nigerian government is too weak to take proactive measures to protect them. The large number of unemployed youths is capable of undermining democracy in the country as they are a ready pool for deployment by criminals and politicians. We need to recall the role played by restive youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta prior to the Federal Government's declaration of amnesty. It is also public knowledge how religious extremists in Northern Nigeria have been using youths for their violent campaign", they wrote.

Given the lack of sufficient employment in the formal sector, young people may be compelled to engage in casual work and other unorthodox means of livelihood.

The rising tide of unemployment and the fear of a bleak future among Nigerian youths have made them vulnerable to the manipulations of criminals. This can be seen in the increasing cases of violent crime such as kidnapping, targeted/hired assassinations as well as drug/human trafficking.

Less than twenty four hours after a suicide bomber killed and injured several churchgoers in Bauchi, a group of unidentified armed men abducted Mohammed Sade, the in-law to the governor of Bauchi State, Isah Yuguda, early this morning as he left a nearby Mosque in the troubled township.

Mr. Sade who is popularly known as "Usama" is married to the governor's niece. The unidentified gunmen killed one of his guards before taking Mr. Sade to an unknown destination.

Usama was formerly the governor's driver but now occupies the powerful position of chairman of the body in charge of fertilizer distribution for farmers in the state.

In the last election, Usama was said to be part of the political organization used by the governor to rig elections in the state.

Since the kidnapping of Sade, no ransom request or other contact has been made with the family. The region has been victim to a number of bold attacks in recent days including a bombing of a Catholic church yesterday in an attack that killed at least six people. Security agencies put the number of dead at 4 persons.

Governor Yuguda is currently in New York as part of President Jonathan's delegation to the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The typical victim profile has shifted from expatriate oil workers to wealthy locals.

Out of the reported kidnappings to occur thus far in Nigeria this year, 50 percent of the victims have been businessmen, businesswomen or their family members. The second most targeted group in 2012 has been local rulers, politicians or their family members, at 24 percent of reported cases. Doctors and priests/pastors have accounted for 9 and 4 percent of victims, respectively. Most abductions (43 percent) occur while the victims are traveling on roads, although they often take place at victims’ homes (29 percent) or their places of work (18 percent).

The average initial ransom demand in 2012 has been US$490,000 with settlements averaging US$50,000; it should be noted, however, that ransom figures are rarely reported and these averages may be on the low side due to lack of data.

AUGUST 11, 2012 BY EMMANUEL OBE
The police in Anambra State have arrested a popular hotelier, Mr. Arthur Udo Christopher, in connection with the kidnap of Mr. Vincent Ohiagwu, the Operations Manager of the Zenith Bank Plc, Nkpor Branch.

Addressing journalists in Awka on Friday, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr. Ballah Nasarawa, said the hotelier was arrested in Enugu after four of the suspected kidnappers made confessions that led to the rescue of the bank manager and one Mr. Osita Okafor from Uga on Aug. 4.

Christopher’s hotel, Arthur Garden Hotel, Umusiome, Nkpor, near Onitsha, was closed down by the Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, last weekend after the police arrested the four kidnap suspects there.

Nasarawa said the other two branches of Arthur Garden Hotel at Afor-Nkpor and Anglican Lane, Off Limca Road, Nkpor had also been closed down by the police.

He gave the names of the kidnap suspects as Chinedu Eze, Obumneme Madugha, Okezue Chukwuemeka and Okoro John.

However, the family of the hotelier has disputed the claim of the police that kidnappers were arrested at the hotel. A spokesman for the family, Mr. Augustine Udo, who claimed he was the executive consultant to the hotel, said no kidnapper was arrested at the hotel.

He challenged the police to parade the kidnappers they claimed they arrested. He alleged that the whole story had been politically orchestrated to portray the hotelier in bad light.

By Christopher Isiguzo

Exactly nine days after his abduction by unknown gunmen, the Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof Cyprian Onyeji breathed the air of freedom shortly before midnight Thursday.

Police sources said that the Vice Chancellor was found around Igbariam in Oyi Local Government Area in Anambra State.

A text message sent by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Enugu Police command, DSP Ebere Amarizu stated: “Sketchy details available has it that the Vice Chancellor was seen around Igbariam axis of Anambra State on 23rd August 2012 at about 2230hrs hale and hearty and has reunited with his family”.

Also, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Ossy Ugwuoti confirmed in a telephone conversation that the vice chancellor has reunited with his family.

Details of the release were still sketchy as at press time.

Unknown gunmen yesterday morning kidnapped two school children along the Murtala Mohammed Highway in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

According to eyewitnesses, the three gunmen were masked; it was only the driver that did not cover his face.

The incident, it was gathered, happened at about 7.30am as their mother, Mrs. Juliet Eko James, was taking them to school.

Mr. Johnson Eko James, the father of the children, relived the matter on telephone: “my wife and our three children were driving out of our street into the highway and suddenly, some people in a Vento salon car accosted her, using their car to block my wife’s car. They came out pointing a gun at my wife and asked for her mobile telephone. When she handed over her phone, they then picked up our four-year-old daughter. The elder brother, Emmanuel, 10 years old, questioned why they were taking his sister away, they picked him up as well. It was at that point that our second child, a seven-year-old, ran out of the car heading back to the house.”

Mr. James, a civil servant with Cross River State civil service said he reported the matter to the Police at the Federal Housing Estate Police division in Calabar.

He said the kidnappers called at noon, demanding for N30million.

He said all appeals from his wife to take their car, a Toyota Sienna, was rebuffed by the gunmen who took away their children.

But Police spokesman John Umoh said he had not got report from the Divisional Police Officer of the police station.

“I will get back to you as soon as I get the details,” he said. But he did not do so until press time.

Kidnappers have boarded a ship off Nigeria and abducted seven crew members, including six Russians and one Estonian, in the latest such incident in the region, French company Bourbon says.

'Bourbon confirms that seven crew members, six Russians and one Estonian, were kidnapped during the boarding of the Bourbon Liberty 249, which occurred on October 15, 2012 in Nigeria,' a statement from the oil industry servicing firm said.

'The other nine crew members are still onboard the vessel which is heading for the Port of Onne. They are safe and sound, and in good health.'

The statement did not give the location of the kidnapping, but Onne is located in the Niger Delta, the country's oil-producing region.

The Bourbon Liberty 249 is an anchor handling vessel, the kind used to tow anchors for oil rigs or mobile drilling rigs.

According to private security consultants Drum Cussac, the incident occurred some 40 nautical miles off Brass along Nigeria's southern coast.

Scores of kidnappings for ransom have occurred in the Niger Delta, though a 2009 amnesty deal greatly reduced unrest there. Sporadic incidents continue to occur despite the amnesty.

Most of the hostages have been freed after payment of a ransom. The company said it had set up an emergency unit aimed at the hostages' 'rapid liberation.'

'Bourbon is in contact with the crewmembers' families, supporting them, and keeping them regularly informed,' it said.

'Bourbon will continue to disclose any new information when available and verified and will not make any comment which could adversely affect the liberation of the hostages.'

A 35-year-old man, Johnson Akinwale, has been remanded in custody by an Osogbo magistrate’s Court for allegedly attempting to kidnap a two-year-old girl, Jelilat Okunade.

Akinwale, who appeared in court on two counts of felony and kidnap, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The charge sheet, obtained on Thursday, alleged that Akinwale committed the offence on October 11, 2012 at Sabo, Osogbo along with other suspects at large.

It said, “That you Johnson Akinwale and others still at large, on October 11, 2012, about 4:20pm, at No 190, Sabo Road, Osogbo, did attempt to kidnap one Jelilat Okunade.”

Arguing, the Police Prosecutor, Mr. Oladoye Joshua, told the court that the offence was contrary to Section 516 and 509 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State, 2003.

Defence counsel, Mr. Sunday Atofarati, said the accused person remained innocent until proved otherwise even as he urged the court to grant him bail.

The Magistrate, Mr. Olusola Aluko, however, asked Atofarati to file a formal bail application on behalf of Akinwale.

Luck has run out on a 75-year old native doctor, Akugbe Ugbo, who specialises in preparing ‘goodluck’ charms for kidnappers as he was arrested by operatives of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin, Edo State, southsouth Nigeria.

The suspect, who was said to have prepared the charms for a kidnap gang headed by a man simply called Anthony now on the run, was paraded along with suspected kidnappers, cultists and a drug dealer.

He was arrested after two of the kidnap suspects, Jacob Umoru and Moses Otoro revealed that the charms given to them by the native doctor failed them.


The septuagenarian native doctor who neither denied nor corroborated his involvement, said the gang leader, Anthony was a son to him and that he helped Anthony to buy a piece of land to start a building before he was arrested.
In his confessional statement, Jacob said he received N600,000 from a ransom of N6 million paid them by a female victim before he was arrested while Moses said he had been involved in five kidnap operations.

Four other suspects, Ogue Michael, Osas Omoh, Osato Ogiraka and Ahomafan Lucky were arrested by soldiers attached to Operation Thunderstorm at Ugbiyoko while attempting to escape with a female victim identified as Mrs. Bridget Ize-Iyamu.

Three other kidnap suspects, Ogiefo Atekha, Friday Dafe and Hilary Igbinomwanhia, were arrested after their victim, a poultry farmer, got information of plans to kidnap him.

Other suspects paraded by the Army were: two students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, identified as Eseni Christian and Osazuwa Evbimarumwen. They were arrested for attempted murder.

Osazuwa said they were on a revenge mission to kill a fellow student when their shot missed the target and hit a commercial motorcyclist, adding that their plan was to kill the student who killed a member of their cult called Livinus.
Also, six students of the College of Education, Ekiadolor were arrested for wearing military uniforms within the campus.

The students said they were members of ‘Man O War’ and that they usually wear the military uniforms during their handing over ceremony.

A suspected female drug dealer, Mabel Nze, was also paraded by the Brigade. Mrs. Nze who had earlier been arrested by soldiers in August this year and handed over to the NDLEA, was arrested again with substance suspected to be Indian hemp.
Speaking during the parade, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, 4 Brigade, Captain Roseline Managbe, said the Command has destroyed more than 15 illegal refineries and arrested four tankers within the last one month.

She added that all the suspects would be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution.

—Jethro Ibileke/Benin

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