₦airaland Forum

Fashola has indeed tried but he can still do better especially on roads in Ogba-Ayobo.

Yes o. That's why I gave my number/email so I can give you the P/W if you're genuinely interested in assisting

Kindly help. I need a job badly. Three years E-banking Experience and 1 yr Transaction Switching experience.

I can be reached on thekenyata@yahoo.com/08076899214. Thanks.

@SA Lady (f)

I just saw ur response and I pray u come back to read this. What has my family got do with this? And did I say I entered the place unclothed? I'm not as daft as ur father who would do such a thing. It's about what some women represent and it's evident you're one of them. Stupid girl.

@nett

Hw far now? Can I offer this 1.4. I think I like this car and I'm serious this time around.

@Adechyno

How ironical that it was this same Gyan that prevented Ghana from reaching Semi-Final!

@9ijaprince

Ekwueme contested with Obasanjo because he's from the south too.

http://www.saharareporters.com/articles/external-contrib/6204-the-story-of-my-abduction-it-could-happen-to-you.html



The Story Of My Abduction: It Could Happen To You! PDF | Print | E-mail
Friday, 04 June 2010 21:27
My friend Pastor Emma Ekong sent me this story and I opted to share it with a wider audience. It was originally titled “The story of my abduction”.  It is the story of the abduction of Dr. Ohaka, a medical doctor based in Port Harcourt. The story was told by Dr. Ohaka himself. Please kindly read on …………… “ I was traveling from Aba in Abia state back to Port Harcourt where I reside after a marriage introduction ceremony of my youngest sister Nene in my family house in Aba. I left the house at about 4pm that day 15/5/2010 with my small uncle Anayo and a cousin Maureen. Maureen dropped somewhere in Aba while I proceeded to Port Harcourt with Anayo. We had barely traveled 11km when we met what appeared to be a routine Police check point at Ihie. Normally we were flagged down for routine check at about 5pm or even later. I was asked for my driving license which I produced, I was asked to come down and open my boot and it was at this point that I was told to enter a waiting Kia saloon car facing right and at right angle to the main express road. Other vehicles were stopped simultaneously for stop and search. An SUV that refused to stop was sprayed with bullets with apparent missing of targets and within about 5minutes the operation was over. About 2 vehicles carried the victims, a Kia saloon and a Pathfinder SUV. Some of us were loaded in the booths. After 5minutes drive into the village we were all blind folded and now driven through untarred bush roads to an isolated location which was a transit point. It took about extra 5minutes to get there.

You know things were happening fast and it was so easy to lose tract of time. At this temporary site, we were thoroughly beaten with the butts and barrels of the gun. I never knew pains could be felt in quick succession after trauma to a particular point. When I was hit at the back with the AK47 assault riffle, I felt the first superficial pain and this was followed immediately by another crushing pain much deeper. We were about 15 people, men, women and children. After about 4hours, the women and children were driven back to the road to find their ways home. We the men, about 9 in number now waited for the next 1.5hours to be taken to their so-called police cell were they kept captives. In the transit camp where we were kept, there is one small house inhabited by a woman and some 2 or 3 children. The woman had normal conversations with our captors and her small baby was always crying. We left the temporary area in the same 2 vehicles and by 10minutes we were in the cell. The place was surrounded by bushes and harbored a roofed but un-completed block house with doors. A standby generator was on and I had lifted the scarf over my eyes a little long before we left the transit location. We were bundled into a dark room wit one window and with 8 captives inside already. The mode of capture of these previous 8 was targeted and not as random as ours. Example the councilor was visited by them as a Police team in a Police vehicle and informed that he was wanted in the police station in connection with certain matters. He followed them willingly. We could only sit or lie down with our eyes covered.

We were 17 in number in my cell. These include 3 Royal highnesses (The Eze of Isuochi, The Eze of Omuma, and another very important Eze that I couldn’t quite identify well because he was taken away shortly for ‘special treatment’ and remained there after I left), the councilor representing a constituency in Omuma (hypertensive and diabetic), a retired NNPC manger (diabetic), a retired CBN supervisor, a PTI lecturer/pastor, 2 yahoo fraudsters, drivers, a tailor, and some others. Our cell phones, money and every other belonging were taken from us apart from our clothing. Food is never given to the captives and water is dispensed at extreme discretion of the captors and by my calculation this amounted to 500mls alternate daily. At a point the councilor drank my water as I moved a little out of my position to urinate. As it was close to midnight, the captors encouraged us to pray and came in periodically to check on us. I must tell you that we all prayed as never before till morning. We also continued to pray like that every day. For me it was as true as daylight. The next day was a Sunday and at about 9am, the captor in-charge of making contacts for the captives came into our cell enquiring for people needing to contact their people for early release. It followed the sequence from interrogation about yourself and work to brutality and torture, bargain for release and possible mortal injury following failure to reach an amicable settlement. One of the captive’s phone lines was always used for these contacts. The man in charge of the contact making is called a name. I figure he is the 3rd in command in the camp. He comes with aides who brutalize the captives mercilessly on failure to agree to a stated bill which runs into millions of naira.

My initial bill was N10million even though it came down to N2m later. I was now asked to talk to my people. I talked to my people and returned the phone to the captors for negotiation with my people. The first bidding amount from my people was N100,000 which earned me the beating of my life in the hands his aides. I was hit with the gun repeatedly and while pointed close to my neck with the gun corked and uncorked severally and with several simultaneous kicks on the head and body, I was asked to talk to my people. The beating was temporarily halted when impressed it on my people of the need again to be ‘reasonable’ amidst my cry of pains. I was one of the youngest captive. One can now imagine the impact of the brutality on an elderly man and the sick people. On that Sunday the councilor was beaten blue and black on failure to accept the N10million request fast. This was a frail looking man with 10 children, a wife and with the whole extended family as dependants.

He collapsed with repeated hits on the head, ribs, hands and every other parts of the body with the butt, barrel of the gun and woods measuring 2inch x 2inch in thickness. He was literally left helpless on the floor. He constantly bemoaned his fate and wished to die in his house where his corpse will at-least be seen and given a burial unlike the camp here where our captors will bury him. He recovered a little by Monday but that never gave him any reprieve as he continued to receive thorough beating like the rest of us. Many of us all cried like babies. The councilor got his people to sell his new car, his lands, and several other belongings and all amounted to the sum of N450,000. He also sought to collect the month’s contribution among 10 of his colleagues amounting to N500,000 which never materialized by the time I left them. My brother it was pathetic for the diabetic and the hypertensive. It is noteworthy that age was no barrier to the brutality because we had 2 people who were above 70years of age, the Eze of Omuma and the Eze of Isuochi. The first received thorough but a moderated level brutality which increased sequentially with each daily failure to meet the captors’ demand while the second, though brutalized, had some significant consideration because he is 74years. His wife had to walk virtually the whole streets begging for money and he also had to sell lands. The rest received the same level of brutality and torture which increased with every passing day. I tried to get close to the retired NNPC man who is also a pastor because I felt he never understood the psychology of this group that prefer to call themselves Abia State Militants. He never agreed to any fixed amount and I felt he mistook the initial moderation of the brutality on him as a spiritual effect. He is a retired man and probably over 60yrs of age. However, he was soon to understand that his judgment was wrong. The mercilessness of the boys was un-paralleled because by the time I was leaving the camp on Tuesday night there was a special torture session carried out simultaneously by over 20 of the militants which I myself may have found difficult to recover from despite my good physical fitness. The captors had claimed that a cell phone had been stolen in the camp and all the captives that refused to bargain ‘properly’ were responsible. The captors appear not to have much interest on what they regard as poor fools like drivers, gaunt looking people, mechanics, tailors etc. Even though the ‘poor fools’ sometimes pay all their savings to the captors, they tend to receive good considerations in terms of length of stay only.

I left the camp after the direct negotiation between my people and my captors went through. We left the camp at about 10pm on Tuesday. Those released that night were the Professor (Eze of Isuochi), one pastor, one driver and my humble self. Three of us were bundled into the booth of a Nissan Pathfinder SUV while Prof was given the privilege of sitting down comfortably inside the car. As we left the camp, one or two small boys were moving about close by and our captors questioned the supposed strangers in a loud voice asking “who be that” and the small boys (I say small boys from their voice on reply) answered “I beg na indigenes”.   The Eze of Omuma was released a day earlier after paying the sum of one million two hundred thousand naira. After about 5minutes into our journey to freedom, the SUV stopped suddenly and refused to start again. After a few futile attempts to start the car, the four armed captors disembarked and called the camp for another vehicle. They identified their position as opposite the Nigerian Police Station. In less than 4minutes a new Toyota corolla arrived for us to continue our journey. I was asked to enter the booth with the pastor/PTI lecturer. They discharged us at Ihie junction and gave us transport money. We all walked bare footed because even our shoes were collected. I received N500.00. They also informed me that my vehicle was at the Police station. The Prof and the released driver proceeded to Portharcourt while I proceeded to Aba with the pastor. I arrived my family house at Aba at about 12:09am on Wednesday to the jubilation of my parents and every other person in the house and on the street. I am grateful to my relatives who contributed immensely for my release. They include my parents, my wife, my brother, my sisters, my cousin, my uncles abroad, my in-laws, my mother’s uncle, my aunt, the pastors who prayed continually, my local church, my genuine friends who acted promptly and several well wishers.

I did not involve the police and it was the best decision. The location of the camp is not hidden. The subdued villagers know them and also know all their locations.  Again the terrain of the area consisting of thick bushes, well spaced houses and the bad nature of the road all combine to favor the use of those locations by the militants. The militants tend to wear military uniforms in the camp and police uniforms with police bullet proof vest outside the camp for their normal operations. They carry AK47 assault riffles and perform drills each morning in the bush around the cell building- the so-called camp. All the boys spoke the local dialect- asa/ngwa version of igbo language. The chairman/leader of the group who authorized each release has facial tribal marks, speaks same dialect. It may not surprise me if he is a northerner and security personnel. It is impossible that the security agents do not know their position. The joy of release subdued all the pains. I also forgot I had not eaten for 4days. I proceeded to Ihie Police station to collect my car as I was informed by my captors as my car was too old for an operational vehicle. I saw the vehicle at local police station at Ihie. I fulfilled their formalities, made statements and informed them of the release of Prof. In doing these I guarded my utterances because you never know who the insiders were. I also spoke with the DPO of the station. I also met some special police units who came on routine patrol to the police station and narrated my ordeal to them. On this visit to retrieve my car I also observed that the security agents concentrated their presence on the express road leaving the entire village empty. My brother even the people you are supposed to report to are scared and appear helpless. You also cannot rule out their support from politicians because of several boasts of installing candidates come 2011. Information flow freely in the camp there; it is unimaginable how the information comes without government/security insiders. It also appeared they were planning relocation soon based on the insiders’ requests; possibly because of impending raid by government forces. They claim to pay some insiders-the normal Nigerian settlement.

It is pathetic the level Abia state has degenerated to. It is a level just slightly above those of animals and the bottom line is greed, corruption, power drunkenness. I understand Imo-state is following closely. I became ill on Thursday- the cumulative effects of the ordeal. My heart goes out to the innocent men still in captivity. I wonder if they will make it alive. They include the retired NNPC manger/pastor in Winners chapel (Yoruba), retired CBN supervisor (Igbo), the councilor (Omuma), The Eze who I could not identify well. What if these kidnappers were ritualists; what would have been our fate; it is all greed, corruption, power drunkenness. Until there is good and committed leadership everything will continue to go downhill”.

Nigeria, what a shame!

[color=Black]I see a lot of openly married men who never take off their wedding bands ever, still getting chicks steadily, so why the need to tell lies and pretend to be single and available?[/color]

@indie22

Men lie because they know there's nothing at stake once a girl knows u're married. That means u have a lot of money to throw around and she'll never stop demanding. The coast is clear once u pretend to be single. She'll see u as worthy of investing on with less or no demands at all.

I once removed my band to enter a girls place sometime. Unfortunately, she later saw my band and queried why I lied that I was single. Behold, she started making financial demands and even said that day was her birthday!

Living is all about dying. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

@ nett

The Price is on the high side. Skoda has no second hand value in Nigeria. If you sell it for N1.5m, you are very very lucky.
Anyway, I'm ready to pay 1.4m if it's damn clean on inspection.

@ magnumshie

U even had the got to go to class the following day. U try o. If na me I don get holiday be dat or better still change school!

Kindly see this as my contribution


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crDzasp1-60&feature=related

Somebody should please teach me how to upload You tube live and direct.

With God on your side, u can cope provided your wife is working too.
Marriage is an institution and God is always there for one. I'm a living witness.

@ agape luv

I'm interested too o.
My emails is thekenyata@yahoo.com

Ever read or heard the story of the tortoise and her in-law before? Fold your arms and watch whether this would turn out to be a semblance. Whoever is down, they say, fears no fall. I encourage Andoaka to keep his cool now. That is the hallmark of what a real man is and should be!

Aondoakaa Removed, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) now AGF

Fellow Nairalanders. Kindly enjoy this piece from Kola Akomolade. The same fate will befall the UNN VC by God's grace.


Housing, not for the poor!
By Kola Akomolede

SOME years back a minister of communication told Nigerians that telephone was not for the poor!. And he was right. Then, to get an analogue telephone line, you had to pay through your nose both officially and unofficially. If you were unfortunate that your line did not work due to a fault on the poles or underground, then you had to pay more to get it to work. To obtain a mobile line then (not GSM O), the 090, you needed as much as N150,000 in addition to some connection in high places. Such was life then!

Those are now history, thanks to the GSM revolution. I wonder what that minister, who today occupies the third position in the political hierarchy of this nation will say today. What he made impossible for the poor, God Almighty, through the instrument of GSM has made it possible!

Today almost everybody, the plantain seller at the road side, the student, your "Maiguard", the cart pusher and what have you all have one or two phones. It doesn't matter if they only use it to flash you or send text! At least communication with telephone has been removed from the exclusive list of the rich. In other countries, where people's vote count, such a minister will never taste public office. But this is Nigeria where anything is possible.

My concern here today is however not about communication but about housing which we are now being told is not for the poor. Save your breadth, no minister has said that, at least directly. But action speaks louder than voice is a popular saying. Or what do you make of the recent hike in land charges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja? For premium in Maitama, Asokoro & Wuse II, it was increased from N2,000 to 18,000 per square metres. Jabi, Utako, Katampe, Mabuchi, Gudu, Durumi, Dakibu & Kado, it was increased from N2,000 to N15,000 per square metre. For Jahi, Duboyi, Dapi, Gwarinpa, from N2,000 to 12,000 per square metre.

This is an increase of 800 per cent, 650 per cent and 500 per cent! respectively. For once, members of the National Assembly have raised their voice against this wicked increase at a time of global economic melt down. It is not that they love me and you however, but they are all owners or prospective allottees of plots in these areas and so it will affect them.

If a landlord should increase rent by that percentage now, everybody including government will cry FOUL! What is happening in Abuja is not new to residents of Lagos. Several charges are slammed on landed properties whenever government needs increased revenue. The furore generated by the introduction of a land use tax in the recent past cannot be easily forgotten. Similarly, the rigours and cost of obtaining governor's consent to assignment is not one that can be forgotten easily. You need to pay as much as 15 per cent of the value of the house to obtain consent for assignment if the lease is over ten years or 30 per cent for lease lower than ten years. For mortgages, you pay two per centof the amount of loan applied for.

If you were unlucky to have bought one of the Federal government properties sold under the monetisation schemes, then you will have to pay what is called "regularisation" fees of between N5,000/m2 and N20,000/m2 to Lagos State before you can start the process of building approval. On top of that, you will pay infrastructural development levy and approval fees. This will run into millions of naira!

Now, tell me with these payments, how can the poor own a house either in Abuja or Lagos? But the poor must definitely live in these cities. Without them, life cannot be complete. Imagine a city without drivers, cooks, stewards, clerks, office attendants, gardeners, artisans etc. Life will definitely not be comfortable for the rich there. We need the services of all these people. The rich cannot exist without them. I can hear you say "do they have to own a house in these areas? The answer is No, they do not necessarily have to own a house in such areas. But they will have to rent. But you don't expect the rents to be low in the face of high charges on land, high cost of building materials and lack of mortgage facility at low interest rates as it is elsewhere.

Hence, when a house owner is able to wade through all these bottlenecks, he/she must recoup the expenses as fast as possible. The only way to do this is to charge high rents and ask for 2 or 3 years advance. Unfortunately, the same government that is responsible for the high rents through all these high charges will then come out with rent control laws! There is no law that can control rent unless the causes of high rent is tackled. In the face of high demand compared with available supply, people will do anything to secure accommodation including breaking any law to that effect. They will pay one rent and collect receipt for a different amount. If you don't agree, you will not get a house.

Our governments should stop making it impossible for people to have their own houses. This they can do :

* Remove all barriers that prevent people from acquiring land everywhere in the country including reduction in the different charges like premiums, ground rent, development charges, land use charge, infrastructural development charges, approval fees, ratification fees etc.

* Reduce duty on imported building materials. If government could waive import duties on GSM equipments, why not for building materials?

* Assist local manufacturers of building materials with grants and low interest loans to enable them produce at profitable capacity.

* Set in motion a pragmatic and workable mortgage system with annual interest of not more than six per cent to eight per cent as it is done in other countries where they take housing serious.

* Government at all levels (Federal, State and Local) should engage in massive construction of houses for the low and middle income only with automatic mortgages at low interest rates and repayable for between 15 to 30 years.

Unless all the above are done among others, our governments will indeed be saying "Housing Not For The Poor"!

* Akomolede is a company executive in Lagos

David Mark said that about communication years back. UNN VC will equally swallow his words dead or alive. We'll live to tell his children the story of their stupid dad.

@Sagamite

U're too much. This will go in to my archives as one of the most incisive analysis on football I've ever seen. Many thanks.

It attracts no fees! Interested?

@olanna08

May I know whether you visit those sites as an active participant too? They say it takes the thief to recognize the footsteps of another thief on the rock. Most married men do it 4 fun. In fact, I engage in it whenever I'm bored, no strings attached and I'm married.

Amazing

I like this. Thanks.

@cruworld

Thanks a lot. Pls keep us informed about subsequent happenings.

What is the general cut-off mark. One house!