By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Yet-to-be-confirmed number of persons have been reportedly kidnapped by armed men in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The alleged multiple kidnap operations, reportedly carried out in the late hours of Monday, September 16, were said to have been executed around the Agip Junction, just some hours after yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked a police station at Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area of the State.
Although, information about the said kidnap incidents is still sketchy, a video that purportedly emerged from the scene and is currently trending on social media, shows some abandoned cars along the road which were said to belong to the kidnapped victims.
While the video also shows some purported eyewitnesses bemoaning the the incident, a masculine voiceover of a man who claimed to have witnessed the incident was also heard in the one-minute-sixteen-seconds video recounting how it happened.
According to him, the kidnappers, after abducting their first victim in his Toyota vehicle, on their way going, also stopped two more vehicles along the same road and abducted their occupants, abandoning the victims’ vehicles behind.
He further explained that it took the intervention of and sounds of gunshots from some security operatives for the hoodlums to flee, still holding their victims hostage.
Watch the video below:
When contacted by this reporter, Izunna Okafor; the Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, said he did not have any information about the incident.
He, however, speculated that the incident might not be a recent development, while also pledging to make further inquiries and revert.
It would be recalled that Oba, which is a former Headquarters of Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State had previously been invaded earlier this month by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, who attacked a Divisional Police Headquarters in the community, during which they also killed a police corporal on duty.
Similarly, it would be recalled that a prominent indigene of the community, revered as the richest and most famous Nigeria native doctor, Mr. Chidozie Nwangwu (popularly known as Akwa Ọkụkọ Tiwara Akị) was kidnapped at about 11:30pm on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at his Triple P Hotel in the Oba community.
Although, Akwa Ọkụkọ was later released just few days after by his abductors, some of his security aides were said to have been gunned down during the July 2023 kidnap operation.
With the latest alleged kidnap incident, calls have been made by concerned individuals for a more strengthened security in Oba community.
More details later…
