Ohanaeze fumes as kidnappers go on rampage in Enugu

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, the youth branch of the main Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has voiced indignation over the recent revival of abduction in Enugu State.

Several tourists were kidnapped along the Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi Nsukka Road between Monday and Friday (yesterday).

A motorist reported that the thugs struck passengers three times on Thursday. The first attack occurred at 12 p.m., while the second strike occurred at 2 p.m. By 5 p.m., another batch of commuters had been seized.

Several passengers were taken earlier on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, despite military and police roadblocks along the route.

Hon Harrison Ogara, a member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, also stated that his staff members evaded kidnapping along the same road.

“Breaking: My staff just missed being kidnapped at Opi Agu by the skin of the teeth. God is faithful,” the lawmaker wrote.

It has also been stated that the crooks are holding hostages on the 4-Corner-Udi Road.

Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of the youth group, said in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday that the incident was unacceptable.

Okwu questioned how criminals grew so audacious as to abduct tourists on a road with more than ten checkpoints.

He said, “We have been inundated with reports concerning the daily abduction of commuters along the Ugwuogo-Nsukka Road.

“This is the same scenario that played out last year before the immediate past administration, in conjunction with security agencies, deployed both the military and the police.

“It is then strange that hoodlums would have the audacity to launch such attacks on a daily basis despite the number of checkpoints on the road.

“We demand a discreet investigation of all the security personnel manning the checkpoints. They should be totally overhauled.

“We consider this as an attempt by some persons to discredit the new administration of Barr Peter Mbah, the executive Governor of Enugu State. But their plot is dead on arrival.”

Okwu called on the security chiefs in the State to rise up to their duty of protecting the lives and property of the citizens, stressing that, “they should not give citizens the feeling that these bandits are now more powerful than state forces.

“The criminality along the Ugwuogo-Nsukka Road, Four Corner-Udi Road, and other parts of the State must end.

“It is inconceivable that unknown gunmen and hoodlums will enter the city centre and operate unchallenged for over 20 minutes. This is why we are warning that any plan to sabotage the administration of Governor Peter Mbah will be resisted by the Igbo youths.

“We urge all the residents to give their maximum support to the Governor Peter Mbah administration as it poised to take Enugu to a higher pedestal.”

Meanwhile, masked gunmen numbering over 30 were claimed to have ambushed and killed a security operator serving with Central Neighbourhood Watch in the State’s Igboeze North Local Government Area.

Onyebu Idoko, the victim, was assassinated while on his way to work.

The hoodlums had already ambushed the same group two years prior, killing two security team commanders.

According to an eyewitness who requested anonymity, the hoodlums worked freely in the neighbourhood despite the presence of military and police forces.