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Tension As Kidnappers Sack Ten Benue Communities

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Tension As Kidnappers Sack Ten Benue Communities

There is currently distress in Owukpa, a district located in the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, as it has transformed into a sanctuary for kidnappers.

Reports obtained by World Wide Gist on Thursday morning revealed no fewer than ten communities are currently being held hostage, as a group of kidnappers unleash terror upon the innocent residents.

Once peaceful areas such as Ankpa, Odobe, Umufu, Ubafu, Atamaka, and Ai-Fam, along with their surrounding regions, are now engulfed in fear due to the relentless criminal activities.

Reports revealed that even commuters are not exempted from the horrifying situation.

Within the past five months, no fewer than 100 individuals have fallen victim to kidnappings, with certain routes proving to be particularly dangerous. The Aho-Ankpa Road and Atakama-Ugbugbu Road are said to have gained infamy as hotspots for criminal activities.

Furthermore, the Orokam-Owukpa road and Okpoga-Aifam road have witnessed numerous incidents.

The developments have since raised concerns about the safety of travellers along these routes.

Not long ago, a family of eight was kidnapped on Atamaka road and their abductors have been threatening to kill them over the family’s failure to provide the ransom they demanded on time.

The survivors, who were held captive for an extended period, shared their harrowing ordeal.

World Wide Gist quoted Daniel, one of the survivors, to have revealed that the abduction took place at approximately 2 pm, and they were taken to the kidnappers’ hideout by 10 pm.

According to Daniel, the criminals were fluent in both Hausa and Fulani languages, which they used to communicate amongst themselves.

As a result of these incidents, the residents of Owukpa have become fearful and now travel in convoys for their safety.

During the festive season, a community member named John was kidnapped on his wedding night while returning from Aho Ogbo market. His family had to pay a ransom for his release.

Similarly, one Engr Raymond and his wife, Mrs Cordelia Agada, were also abducted on the Owukpa-Aifam-Okpoga road recently.

In an attempt to combat the escalating threat, the women of Owukpa invoked the deity Ekwuanya in 2023, hoping to deter any sons of Owukpa involved in kidnapping activities. However, it seems that this spiritual intervention has had minimal or no effect on curbing the prevailing menace.

Despite the presence of local community guards, kidnappers continue to carry out their operations without fear of consequences.

Speaking to journalists earlier, the traditional ruler of Ogbadibo, HRH Emmanuel Odeh, expressed deep concern about the alarming security situation.

Owukpa’s vulnerability was recognized by him, attributing it to its close proximity to Enugu and Ebonyi, porous borders, and expansive forest areas.

The primary factors behind the chaos were identified by him. Odeh expressed his disapproval of the government’s insufficient reaction, highlighting the scarcity of law enforcement personnel in Owukpa and the prohibition on civilian gun ownership.

This left the residents defenceless against heavily armed kidnappers.

He said, “The insecurity issue in Owukpa is well beyond our control, primarily due to our proximity to two neighbouring states- Enugu and Ebonyi.

“This leaves us vulnerable to external attacks, compounded by the extensive forest areas that provide cover for kidnappers.

“The crux of the matter lies in the insufficient efforts from the government.

“For instance, Owukpa lacks even six policemen, and critical areas like Eke Akpa, Aho Ogbo, Ipole Owukpa or Ai Fam have no police presence whatsoever.

“I have been requesting this for over 10 years, but the government claims they lack a sufficient number of police officers.

“This is a serious concern for a community with a population of over 139,000.

“Compounding the problem is the fact that those attempting to confront the criminals are armed only with Dane guns, a stark mismatch against the sophisticated weapons wielded by the perpetrators.”

The Commander of Constabulary Police in Ehaje II, Amos Agada, expressed deep concern about the situation, describing it as disturbing.

“As we speak, nowhere is safe in Owukpa again. At the moment, they are seriously operating in Ipiga Ai-Odu.

“In fact, just yesterday, they hijacked a fully loaded bus and kidnapped all passengers. They have not even contacted the families yet.”

He also lamented the lack of essential weapons for the vigilante group in the village to confront the kidnappers.

However, he stressed the need for more support from the government, particularly in the provision of weapons to enhance their effectiveness in tackling security challenges.

“We are doing our best with the limited resources available, but additional support, especially in the form of weapons, is crucial to bolster our efforts against these criminals,” he told journalists.

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Fake doctor arrested for organ trafficking, N21m fraud in Nasarawa

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Fake doctor arrested for organ trafficking, N21m fraud in Nasarawa

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a fake doctor, Igwe Gift Okechukwu, involved in criminal conspiracy, organ trafficking, fraud, cybercrime, stealing, impersonation, cheating, and identity theft.

The arrest was made in Nasarawa State by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department following the suspect’s fraudulent activities in Owerri, Imo State.

The suspect, parading himself as Henry Ovie, a neurologist newly transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, tricked a point of sale (POS) operator, Anita Chinwe Mathias, into entering a code on her POS machine.

As a result, the entire sum of twenty-one million naira (N21,000,000) was withdrawn from her account, leading to a police report.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the details of the arrest during a press conference in Abuja.

He outlined the suspect’s modus operandi, where he built trust with the victim, sent a significant amount to her account, and later tricked her into entering a code that facilitated the fraudulent withdrawal.

According to Adejobi, Anita, the complainant, narrated that the suspect used multiple identities and phone numbers, posing as Igwe Richard and Ovie Henry.

“She proceeded to state that on September 11, 2023, the suspect tricked her into entering a code on her POS machine, which she did due to the trust she had for him.

“After the suspect left her place, she noticed that all the money in her POS account was withdrawn, which amounted to the sum of twenty million naira (N21,000,000), and all efforts to reach out to the suspect proved abortive.

“She also went to the Federal Medical Centre, where the suspect claimed to be working, to ask about him and she was told that none of their doctors bears such a name. Immediately, she reported the case to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Abuja, where intelligent officers swung into action to arrest the suspect,” the statement reads in part.

Investigations revealed that the fake doctor had changed his phone number and relocated from Owerri to Lafia, Nasarawa State, where he was subsequently tracked and arrested.

It was further uncovered that the suspect is involved in organ trafficking, with links to a contact in Toronto, Canada.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, reiterated the commitment of the force to combating crimes and ensuring the safety and security of communities.

The IGP assured Nigerians that an extensive investigation is ongoing, and all perpetrators involved in this heinous act will be brought to justice and charged accordingly.

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Gunmen kidnap Imo monarch, Ohiri

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Gunmen kidnap Imo monarch, Ohiri

A group of unidentified gunmen have reportedly kidnapped Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, the former chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.

WORLD WIDE GIST gathered that the monarch was taken by the hoodlums from his home in Orodo Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State, early on Saturday morning.

The respected traditional ruler, who is the traditional ruler of the Orodo autonomous community in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo was reportedly carried to an undisclosed location by the mysterious gunmen, who have not released a statement or contacted the family.

A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on Saturday that “His Royal Majesty, Former Ezeimo, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri has been kidnapped by unknown persons from his residence at Odumara Orodo in Mbaitoli LGA Owerri, Imo State.”

He said the four-man gang, heavily armed, with a green-colored Toyota Highlander, kidnapped former Ezeimo while his cousin escaped. The kidnappers abducted Ezeimo and drove towards Umaka-Orlu road.

Confirming the ugly development Henry Okoye, Imo police command spokesperson, said the command has commenced an intense investigation.

He further said, “We have taken some affirmative steps towards ensuring that the victim is rescued and that his kidnappers are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law. Updates on this case will be communicated in due course.”

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Boko Haram kills 5 in Yobe

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Boko Haram kills 5 in Yobe

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have killed four civilians and one member of a vigilante group in an attack on Unguwar Kori Kwari in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.

WORLD WIDE GIST learnt that the terrorists invaded the area at about 3 am on Friday, slaughtering two and shooting two others dead. In addition, a member of a vigilante group was killed by an improvised explosive device planted by the terrorists, while two persons were injured.

Sources told WORLD WIDE GIST the victims were tied up before they were killed by the terrorists.

The corpses of the five deceased have been evacuated and deposited at the Yobe Specialist Hospital’s mortuary in Gaidam.

Unguwar Kori is a popular place for alcohol drinkers and commercial sex workers in Geidam town.

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