A former Enugu State governor’s aide’s daughter, a community leader and his wife, were on Thursday abducted by gunmen in two different locations in Enugu State.
Kosiso, the daughter of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani’s aide, Frank Anioma, was said to be on her way to the New Haven market when she got missing.
“Her phone was ringing when we called her number but there was no reply.
Thereafter, it went into busy,” Anioma posted.
The second incident occurred Thursday night at Amokwe, Udi Local Council along Old EnuguAwka Road where an Nnewi based businessman, Chief Ernest Otugo and his wife were kidnapped by gunmen.
They were travelling to Enugu from Nnewi, to attend a social function billed for the next day in a chocolate colour Toyota Venza when the incident occurred.
The couple also had their children and a family friend simply identified as Chief Reuben with them when the gunmen struck.
Otugo, his wife and his friend, Reuben, said to be an indigene of Awka, Anambra State, were taken captive leaving behind the children.
The wife was later released by the kidnappers for her to go and arrange for the ransom.
The amount was not mentioned.
Enugu State Police Command through its spokesman, Superintendent Ebere Amaraizu said the anti-kidnap operatives were on top of the situation.
An advocacy group for the promotion of peace and good governance in Enugu State, Enugu Youths Coalition for Good Governance, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to direct the immediate redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Suleiman Balarabe, for lack of capacity and commitment to secure the state.
The group, which frowned at the spate of crimes in the state since Balarabe assumed office as Enugu State Commissioner of Police, few weeks to the 2019 general election, said that the demand was borne out of their objective assessment of the performance of the police chief and the need to protect lives and property.
In a statement signed by the Coordinator and Secretary, Hon. Ikechukwu Ibeh and Engr. Jude Onyema, respectively, the advocacy group maintained that Enugu State had been peaceful and one of the safest states in Nigeria, expressing deep concern that “if something urgent is not done to rejig the security architecture of the state; our state’s enviable status will be jeopardized.”
They stated that the present cases of kidnapping, murder and other criminal activities being witnessed in the state were strange and a sign of failure on the part of the security agencies in the state, especially the police.
The group added that “this recent ugly experience was never encountered in Enugu State in the past three years when the immediate past Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danmallam Mohammed was in the saddle.”
Another kidnap incident was recorded in neighbouring Imo State where gunmen abducted the wife of the Anglican Bishop of Ikeduru Diocese, Anuri Maduwuike.
The incident occurred barely 24 hours after gunmen killed five people in a pre-dawn attack on another community in the state.
It was gathered that the victim was abducted on her way home from Owerri. According to an eyewitness, the prelate’s wife was ambushed at a bad spot by Ekemele and whisked to an unknown destination.
According to the source, “wife of the Anglican bishop of Ikeduru Diocese Mrs. Anuri Maduwuike was kidnapped by gunmen. We need prayers for God’s intervention for the safety and freedom of the God’s handmaid.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the development.
The Police spokesperson said that her abductors were yet to establish contacts with the victim’s family
