Kidnappers abduct woman, daughter in Edo … abduct couple in Bayelsa

Esohe Abel

Kidnappers have abducted a woman, Mrs. Esohe Abel, and her daughter, Miss Osarunmwese Abel, in Edo State.

Esohe and  Osarunmwese are wife and daughter of a prominent transporter in Edo State, the Managing Director of Iyare Motors Limited, Mr. Abel Omoruyi.

Both women were said to have been kidnapped at about 5pm on Monday around the Ugbor Primary School, Benin City.

Their car was reportedly abandoned at the scene, while the victims were forcefully taken away in the kidnapper’s car.

A family source told PUNCH Metro that the matter had been reported at the Ugbor Police Station and the victims’ car, recovered by the police.

The source, craving anonymity, said, “Esohe and Osarunmwese were kidnapped at Ugbor village, close to the Ugbor Primary School. Although we have made a report at the Ugbor Police station, so far there is nothing new.  The police have, however, recovered the abandoned vehicle.

“We have yet to hear from their abductors; everyone is worried. But we were told that delay is a tactic employed by kidnappers to make family members of their victims apprehensive.

“We learnt that kidnappers often keep their victims for at least 24 hours without communicating with their families. By the time they eventually establish contact, the affected families would have been so unsettled that they would give in to the kidnappers’ demands easily.”

When PUNCH Metro contacted the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Moses Eguaveon, he was said to be at a meeting.

A police officer, who did not identify himself, said, “The PPRO is at a meeting with the Commissioner of Police.”

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen have abducted the parents of a prominent businessman in Konga, a fishing community in Akassa, Brass Local Government, Bayelsa State.

It was learnt that the couple, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Kido, were abducted on Monday night.

The abductors had stormed the couple’s home in Akassa while they were asleep and threatened to set their house on fire if they refused to open the door.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the couple might have been abducted due to an alleged unresolved issues between their businessman son and some of his workers over unpaid wages.

It was gathered that no contact had yet been established with the abductors as of press time.

The police authorities in the state confirmed the abduction.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Alex Akhigbe, said two suspects linked with the incident were in police custody and had made useful statements that were assisting the police in their investigation.

Akhigbe, however, declined to disclose the identities of the kidnappers, saying the police were working out modalities to free the victims and arrest the abductors.