…Kidnappers, Armed Robbers On Rampage In The Face Of Multiple Security
…Appeal To CP, Oborevwori To Come To Rescue
Residents in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area and its environs in Delta state have again expressed their fears, worries and uncertainties over the rising wave of various crime in the town, calling on the Commissioner of Police and Delta state governor to act fast and come to their aides.
Business owners and residents are presently lamenting as the area gradually backslides into past dark days of violence crimes such as kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery which has risen and seems unchallenged.
Despite the presence of multiple security operatives patrolling the streets of Ughelli and environs daily, crime rate is growing astronomically without serious resistances.
Cases of kidnappings:
On Monday, October 2, 2023, a notable businessman (name withheld) who deals in electrical appliances was kidnapped at about 9:00pm at the front of his store along the Isoko road in Ughelli as he was about leaving.
It was gathered that his abductors patiently waited for him till his closing hour and pounced on him while he was about leaving in his Highlander Jeep. His resistance was said to have angered the kidnappers who beat him mercilessly before shooting sporadically to scare away would be helper before forcefully taking him away in a waiting Toyota Camry. Nothing has been heard of him and it could not be confirm if his abductors have established contacts with his family for any ransom.
On Friday, September 29, a lady whose husband trade on sharp sand and building materials was kidnapped at Otokutu, a suburban community close to Ughelli. She allegedly regained freedom on Sunday, October 1, 2023 after a ransom of Five million naira was paid by the husband to the abductors.
It was also gathered that a pregnant woman, (29) and a mother of three simply identified as Mrs. Ovuoke, was also kidnapped in the early hours of Monday, October 2, at the Iwhre-Ovie area in Ughelli.
Sources disclosed that the young lady was on her way to a traditional birth attendant centre for a massage when she was abducted. Meanwhile, two men and two other women had also been abducted within the past two weeks in the same area.
A reliable source who spoke on condition of anonymity to newsmen, said that just before the recent incident, two women popularly known as Madam Akamu and Madam Julie, two other young men whose name could not be confirmed, were also kidnapped within a week and a ransom paid for each before regaining freedom.
One Mrs. Akpojaro was also said to be kidnapped from her home along with her car, but was later released after payment of ransom by her husband and the car which was taken along with its original particulars found and recovered at Uwheru community. It was alleged that the leader of kidnap gang had intended selling off the car, but his efforts was sabotaged by one of his men who may have feel cheated and allegedly contacted the owner through their usual channels of communications that he should act fast, else his car will be sold by their leader and informed him where the car was.
No doubt, it is a renewed gale of crimes that is giving helpless residents a sleepless night as it brings fears and worries to business owners and residents.
Kidnappings, armed robbery, car theft, vandalization of transformer cables, breaking of generator mechanic workshop and carting away of generators is been recorded daily. Beside this horrifying and disturbing trend, snatching of motorcycles and tricycle popularly called Keke is on the increase within the localities mentioned.
The town is gradually harboring teeming notorious elements in all forms of criminalities, even as some disguised as internet fraudster ‘Yahoo Yahoo.’
Cases of stealing:
Aside kidnappings for ransom, the wave of broad day robbery and breaking and entry is also on the increase. Motorcycle theft which has led many operators to lose their lives is also of increase. Sometime in the year, a generator mechanic workshop was vandalized along Oduaran street where all the generators in the workshop were loaded into a waiting Toyota Sienna mini bus as gathered, but luck ran out of them when the vehicle was reversing hurriedly and fell into a drainage and the robbers escaped leaving the vehicles and the generators behind.
In a similar development, another generator mechanic workshop was broken and generators stolen at Makolomi area of Otovwodo community in Ughelli.
“They broke into my workshop in the night and took away six big generators given to me for repairs and sales, now I am paying for what I knew nothing about”, Mr. George, a generator mechanic at Makolomi street in Ughelli lamented. He however blamed the vigilantes who collect security levies from them always, yet such crime could still be taking place in the area.
On Wednesday, it was gathered that electric wires vandals stormed a transformer at Onoharigho street in Ughelli, with the intent to vandalized and steal the armoured cables and drill the transformer oil, but only fled when they saw someone approaching.
At Ekredjebor, a community also closed to Ughelli, a young man, only identify as ‘Tega’ was reportedly shot dead on Sunday, October 1, 2023. An unconfirmed source alleged that the young man may have been shot dead as he may likely know a group of robbers that invaded the pipeline area of the community.
Several violent crimes have recently been reported at different quarters even in the midst of multiple security apparatus that barricades roads and streets of Ughelli extorting road users with impunity.
Residents are calling on the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass to be more proactive in crime fighting and for his officers and men to be more sincere in crime fighting instead of extorting innocent citizens and chasing shadows living the objects.