Admin l Tuesday, March 27, 2018
ABUJA, Nigeria – Gunmen have kidnaped an expatriate staff of Nigercat Construction Company, working on the Otuocha-Ibaji-Abuja Federal Highway. He was kidnaped from site while security attache, a policeman was killed in the process. According to The Sun, the incident occurred at Aribo between Otuocha, Umueze Anam and Oroma Etiti Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State. An eye witness told the newspaper that masked gunmen numbering about six carried out the attack.
According to him, a man dressed like herdsmen, standing close to the construction workers, made telephone call ceaselessly before the gunmen appeared from the bush, shot into the air, the police man replied and was killed before they took away the expatriate through the bush path.
The Majority Leader, Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Okoye who also represents Anambra West Local Government Area at the House of Assembly said that he was informed about the incident around 4p.m. on Monday. “Immediately, I called the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, the office of Directorate of State Security and the heads of Vigilante Groups and informed them about it. They went into action and condoned the area. For now, I have not heard of any arrest but I am confident that they are on top of their jobs”, he said.
“I was told that the kidnappers did not come in any car. So it will be easier to apprehend them, especially when the vigilante groups know all the bush paths in the area.”
Hon. Okoye therefore called on the youths of Anambra West to accord the security operatives all the assistance they could to ensure that the culprits were arrested “in other not to scuttle the construction of this all important road”. He condemned the act and reminded them of the grave penalty for kidnappers enshrined in Anambra State law.
“We have agitated for this road for long. Now, the workers may be afraid to return to site. But I also appeal to the state government to do all they can for the staff to be rescued, more security provided at the site so that work can continue to meet the deadline before the rain starts again.”
A former counselor in the local government, Albert Omega, said that efforts should be intensified to apprehend the culprits and rescue the victim. He said, “Well let us pray for quick rescue of the whiteman since they came out of the bush with leg and carry the man on head into the Aribo bush. Although, they succeeded in killing one of the MOPOL attached to the oyibo.”
Also speaking, an indigene of the area, Ike Anam said, “this kidnap of an expatriate working on our road is not a good news at all, considering that the road has been abandoned for a long time. This is a road that is very strategic to our people and needed to continue. This incident may also incite fear and discourage other construction companies from working on the various projects within the area which will be detrimental to our progress.”
Ike Anam said it was pathetic that such incidence could occur on a day a commissioner from the area was being sworn in. “It is consequent on the above that I enjoin Ndi Anambra West to rise up to the challenge and lead this battle to get the expatriate released and the hoodlums arrested. We cannot allow enemies to sabotage our efforts. We can do it. We have the means and local technology to do it. Let’s sensitize our people to report any strange movements within our communities and farm settlement.”
Meanwhile, the kidnappers have not made contacts or placed any demand as at the time of filing this report.
