Residents of parts of Owerri West and Owerri North Council Areas have raised concerns, calling for urgent intervention due to the alleged activities of kidnappers in their communities.
Recall that Gunmen stormed the Isiala-Mbano Local Government Area headquarters in Imo State, on Tuesday night, murdering two vigilante members and setting cars on fire.
Eyewitnesses shared their accounts with journalists in Owerri, detailing the actions of the criminals.
According to an eyewitness, who requested anonymity for security reasons, the most recent attack occurred on Wednesday night around Okpala Naze and Umuogidi Obibiezena in Owerri North Council Area of Imo State.
The witness claimed that the attackers were suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, targeting a local resident known as Koko Nwa Jesus.
Residents of the affected areas have continued to appeal for urgent intervention from security agencies. In a video that has gone viral online, one of the residents who managed to escape from the kidnappers’ trap shared his experience.
He said, “Right now, we are in Obinze, FUTO Road. I was on a motorcycle heading back to Eziobodo when I narrowly escaped.” The video has heightened concerns among locals, who are calling for swift action to curb the rising criminal activities in the area.
“We saw kidnappers at FUTO gate kidnapping people just like that. We saw them and immediately the motorcycle rider reversed as we were trying to turn back the kidnappers started shooting at us but we escaped. We thank God. This is too much in Owerri West Council Area of Imo state. We need help now.”
In his reaction, the Force Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said: “The Nigeria Police Force in its efforts to boost National Security and fortify the safety of every citizen, has conducted several operations across the country, tackling all forms of crime and criminality, particularly in Owerri, Imo State.
“In recent happenings, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Imo State Command, have recorded several milestones of operational success in the fight against all forms of crime in the state, particularly kidnapping. Some of these achievements include the arrest of Five (5) suspects linked to kidnappings in Obinze, Avu, and Ihiagwa, and the rescue of the kidnapped victim. The suspects identified as Umaru Usman, 40, from Mauree in Sokoto; Tukur Yau, 25, from Dawakinkudur in Kano State; Musbau Sabo, 18, from Warsaw LGA in Kano State; Abdul Ibrahim, 30, from Sokoto State; and Jubrin Idris, 35, from Sokoto State, were arrested on the 21st of August 2024 in Avu, Imo State.’
“Another groundbreaking achievement was the arrest of one Nwauba Alex, a 25-year-old male from Ezza LGA, Ebonyi State on August 21, 2024. The suspect was arrested while attempting to rob two residents at gunpoint near Aladinma Primary School, Owerri. Recovered from the suspect were: one locally made pistol, two rounds of live ammunition, and torchlights.
“The Nigeria Police remains relentless in its efforts to combat these heinous acts and reiterates commitment towards bolstering security measures. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD., NPM., further reaffirms this commitment with the emplacement of both proactive and reactive measures aimed against these crimes,” he said.
(Vanguard)
Leave a Reply