Posted by By Fidelis Soriwei on
Rampaging kidnappers have again jolted the relative security in Owerri, the Imo State capital, by abducting the daughter of the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Ebere Udeagwu.
Rampaging kidnappers have again jolted the relative security in Owerri, the Imo State capital, by abducting the daughter of the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Ebere Udeagwu.
Sunday PUNCH investigation revealed that the kidnappers trailed the unsuspecting lady to a location and took her hostage on Friday night.
The kidnappers are reportedly demanding the sum of N1bn as ransom for the release of the lady.
She was said to be a student of the University of Abuja and had just arrived Owerri from the federal capital when she was taken hostage.
Several efforts made to speak with the former deputy governor, who contested the April 2007 governorship election as the candidate of Democratic Peoples Party, were not successful.
The calls placed to his mobile telephone indicated that it was either switched off or in an area not under network coverage.
Also, the authorities of the Imo State Police Command said on the telephone on Saturday that the matter had not been formally brought to their attention.
The Asistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Mr. Goddy Okereke, and the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Linus Nwaiwu, said that the matter had not been reported to the police as at press time on Saturday.
Meanwhile, security sources confirmed the latest incident of kidnap to our correspondent.
Since the escalation of the kidnap saga in Owerri, families of the victims do not get the police into the process of negotiation leading to the release of their abducted relatives.
Instead, they prefer to pay for the suspended freedom of their relatives.
The only case that was found to have been reported to police for intervention was that of the 82-year-old Sylvanus Udenkwo, whose release was facilitated by the Commissioner, Mr. Inocent Ilozuoke, and his men.