By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Residents of Ughelli, parts of Warri and environs are presently seeking alternative to their towns of residents as some are contemplating relocation as cases of kidnapping rises on daily basis.
On Monday, November 6, a lady, (Name with held) who sells electrical materials at Akpodiete street in Ughelli, was kidnapped from her shop for the second time within a period of six months.
While residents were yet to recover from the shock and trauma aside other robbery incidents, another young man, Omaminiovo Emuesiri was again kidnapped at the front of his compound at Oteri-Community in Ughelli at about 9pm on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
File photos
An eyewitness account had it, that the victim who was driving to his house along the Pipeline road of the community was ambushed by his gate as he was about driving inside his compound.
“It was like the suspected kidnappers were waiting for him somewhere and the moment he got to the gate of his house, they started shooting sporadically and dragged him out of his car before taking him away”.
The eyewitness who does not want his name in print also told journalists that the victims black Corolla car, phones and wallet were not collected by his kidnappers.
As at the time of filing this report, the abductors have not established contacts with the families of the victims, but according to another source, the incident have been reported at the police station.
In a related development, residents of Orhuwhorun town in Udu local government area of Delta state are currently living with fear as kidnappers have adopted a new pattern of getting at their victims.
A medicine store owner who was about driving out of his store in his Hilux Van has been kidnapped on Tuesday, after a kidnap gang member disguised as a destitute pretending to beg the victim money.
Another Online newspaper, not SouthernVoicenews.Com, however reported that the kidnapper gang member on getting to his victim, held his leg and surprisingly pulled out a gun and started shooting sporadically to scare away passersby before other of his gang members suddenly appeared whisking the victim who has also been kidnapped over three times from his store to an unknown destination.
Cases of kidnapping has recently been rampant in the areas mentioned with series of cases of kidnapping recorded daily. This is even as multiple security agencies including the police, vigilantes, Hunters, anti-cult group and others patrol the streets, roads in a commando style daily, yet, cases of crime is growing daily. Road blocks are mounted, extortion of commercial tricycles, motorcycles operators as well as intimidation by security operatives is on the increase making it look like a case of chasing the shadow and living the object.
Security agents have often been indicted of chasing after flashy cars driven by suspected Yahoo Yahoo Boys treating others with alleged high handedness. Na
Contacted, the Delta state Police Public Relation Officer PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe could not be reached as his phone number was not reachable.