Posted by By EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja on
Fear has gripped residents of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital as ritualists now prowl the ancient town, kidnapping people for ritual purposes.
Fear has gripped residents of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital as ritualists now prowl the ancient town, kidnapping people for ritual purposes.
According to Daily Sun investigations, no fewer than seven Okada riders and nine school children have reportedly gone missing in the last two weeks, even as security operatives have swung into action to arrest those behind the dastardly activities.
An impeccable source close to security agencies told Daily Sun that some of those arrested in relation to the kidnappings have confessed that some powerful politicians eyeing big offices in 2007 are behind the incidents.
An officer of the Okada Riders Association, Lokoja branch who does not want his name in print said the kidnappers usually pose as potential passengers, lure the unsuspecting riders to unknown places allegedly after casting spell on them, adding that they would later be killed for ritual purposes.
Also, Daily Sun learnt that one of the tricks employed by these ritualists was to lay ambush for school children during break or closing time.
Armed with biscuits or sweets, they would then lure the children away to a waiting car.
Only last week, one of the victims, a pupil of St Mary Primary School, Lokoja was reported to have followed a ‘stranger' who posed as his relation. The whereabouts of the child is still unknown.
Investigations also revealed that these ritualists may be operating in conjunction with some taxi cab operators who normally release their vehicles for a fee so as to kidnap innocent citizens.
This method, it was learnt, was used to kidnap a middle-aged woman, a trader from Kabba whose husband is an employee of Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The woman was said to have boarded a Kabba-bound vehicle from Lokoja about three months ago only for her not to return home again.
After the husband waited endlessly for the arrival of his wife who has obviously gone to a place of no return, he had to organise a search party where they discovered the driver in whose vehicle the woman travelled in.
On enquiry, the driver was quoted to have said the woman ran into the bush along Kabba Oshokosho Road when armed robbers struck on the day in question but only for the woman not to return again.
But observers wondered why the driver did not report the case to the police nor even report to the union even when the woman's luggage was still in his possession.
Meanwhile, parents have been advised to take proper care of their children so as not to allow them stray into the hands of these deadly ritualists.