George Okoh in Makurdi
Barely three weeks after gunmen suspected to be kidnappers abducted a retired officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Igumale, headquarters of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, gunmen again have abducted another popular Igbo trader identified as Oga John in the area.
It was gathered that the victim (Oga John) was abducted on Saturday at about 7.20 p.m. at his business premises located at Camp Junction in Igumale.
A resident of Igumale community, Barrister Ochai Onazi told our correspondent on phone, that the incident happened around 7.20 p.m. when the kidnappers invaded the community through Adiga-Igumale road and abducted the trader.
He said the victim owned the only big supermarket in Igumale and was at the shop transacting business when the kidnappers stormed the premises and opened fire immediately.
He explained that the gunmen started shooting sporadically until the victim was taken away to an unknown destination.
Onazi lamented that Igumale has become a den of kidnappers and other criminal activities, saying there’s no day pass by that there would not be one case of heinous crimes raging from kidnappings, armed robberies in the area. He appealed to security agencies to intervene in the security situation currently confronting the Igumale community.
“You remember that it was just last few weeks ago that Mr. Unogwu, a retired DSS office from Igumale was abducted on his way back from Otukpo to Igumale.
“Before then, another popular businessman from the area was kidnapped and only released after he paid millions of naira as ransom.
“One of our brothers and friends trading in this area had been kidnapped again. I am using this opportunity to passionately appeal to Governor Samuel Ortom to send security personnel to the area. Igumale is fast becoming a safe haven for crimes in the state. This must not continue,” he said.
A family source told journalists that at the time of filing this report, Oga John’s abductors were yet to open discussion with the family or make any demand.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Benue State Police Command, DSP Sewuese Catherine Anene, said she was yet to be informed about the incident and promised to call back as soon as she gets details from the divisional police police in Ado.
