Onitsha South landlord association raises alarm over rising kidnapping

The Onitsha South Landlords Association Forum (OSLAF) has raised alarm over rising of cases of kidnapping at Fegge.

A kidnapping gang operating with Sienna bus has struck again at Fegge, Onitsha in Anambra State where they abducted a man at Porthacourt Road near Uga Street.

An eyewitness account said the incident  took place at about 4.30 pm last Thursday at 37 Porthacourt Road, Fegge, Onitsha opposite a provision store near commercial bank.

The man was said to have been blocked with the kidnappers' Sienna, even as he  frantically shouted  for help. 

"In Spite of  the shout for help, the armed men were said to have  alighted from their  Sienna bus already packed with people unaware that they were kidnappers. 

"In a jiffy, said the eyewitness,  about five of them came out from the vehicle, blocked the man armed with their AK 47 raffles and brought their handcuffs, pretending to be security officers," the source claimed.

The man was said to have resisted  to be handcuffed but they succeeded only in one of his hands before  pushing him into their awaiting vehicle and then  zoomed off towards Upper Iweka area. 

The Onitsha South Landlords Association Forum (OSLAF) frowned at this ugly development, lamenting  that after their recent  alarm, the Police in Onitsha have not done anything serious except mounting road blocks where they allegedly  extort money from Keke riders.

The group said the Police need intelligence driven operation not road blocks. 

"The Commissioner of Police,  Anambra State,  said the group, Dr. Ikioye Orutugu,  should embark on immediate overhaul of security architecture in Onitsha and environs inorder to arrest this ugly security situation. 

"In the last one month plus over five persons  have  been kidnapped and heavy  ransom paid before they were  released. Their cars are yet  to be recovered. What kind of Policing are we talking about here? We should engage Police driven  by intelligence not  road blocks" said OSLAF.

They called for a state of emergency  to be declared on security in Onitsha, lamenting  that security has collapsed completely in Fegge part of the commercial town.. 

"Can we continue to live  in fear? OSLAF  will embark on aggressive protest if the criminals were not arrested and another citizen kidnapped again" they said.