Police rescue abducted monarch, two others in Abia 22/4/2009


From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia

The police in Abia State have rescued three people from their abductors.

They are: a traditional ruler, Eze Apollos Ahamefule, 70; Chief Ike Emelogu, 80 and Godson Ejike, 36.

Ahamefule, a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), is the traditional ruler of Itungwa Ituahiafor Autonomus Community in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Umuahia, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edgar Tam Nanakumo, said he deployed his men in the area when he got information that the victims were kept at Umuoha Akpa Amairi, a border town between Obingwa and Osisioma local government areas.

Nanakumo urged Abians not to relent in volunteering information to the police.

His words: "It is interesting to note that the kidnapped victims were rescued by the police at the forest. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Abians to always volunteer information whenever the issue of kidnapping occurs. We are ever ready to ensure that the victims are rescued.

"From what we have done in the past and what we are doing now, you can be sure that we will always rescue any victim we are aware of so long as his people report to the police as soon as the incident happens."

Ahamafule said one of the members of the six-man gang, who abducted him, invited him from the Church last Saturday on the claim that he is an Inspector.

"Immediately I came out, they took me away, tied my hands and blindfolded me before whisking me to a bush where they demanded N30 million ransom which they later reduced to N6 million before the arrival of the police," he said.

Emelogu said he was kidnapped by a 10-man gang at his Itungwa country home on Easter Monday at about 10:33p.m. They injured him in the head with machete.

He said a N6 million was demanded from his relations as ransom before the police rescued him.

Ejike, who works with the Nigeria Breweries, said he was abducted on April 17 at Okpulu Umuobo in Obingwa Local Government Area while he was cleaning the front of his house.