HOW 4-YR-OLD BOY SPENT 83 DAYS IN KIDNAPPERS’ DEN

When four years old Emmanuel left for school on Tuesday, July 2, 2013, little did his parents know that they would not see him for the next three months. But that was the case. He was abducted from the school that very day. How did the toddler cope in the kidnappers’ den?
The boy looked worried and in dire need of his parents care. Though, looking forlorn and confused about the crowd around him, the boy, Emmanuel, could not have wished better than he was in the warm embrace of his parents, having been forcefully taken from them.
For nearly three months, Emmanuel was stolen from his school by unknown persons. As was usual, the boy was reportedly dropped off in his school, (name withheld) along Uwani area of Enugu. It was Tuesday, July 2, 2013. But Emmanuel’s parents would not set their eyes on their beloved son for the next 83 days.

END OF THE ROAD FOR KIDNAPPERS OF SCHOOL LEAVER

Since leaving school some years ago, Paul Edeh had been shuttling Port Harcourt, Rivers State from his native Enugu State hoping that a suitable job would be secured in the Garden City. Though he still says he is searching for a dream job, it is said that Edeh’s lifestyle does not portray that of an unemployed man. He is reported to have been ‘settled’ by his brother who is said to be doing well in Port Harcourt.
Paul reportedly rode an exotic car anytime he was in his country home where he met his friends and siblings, where they all had nice times together. Recently, Paul was on his usual visit to his country home but got what he never bargained for. Unknown to Paul, some criminallyminded people in the neighbourhood were observing his affluent lifestyle and were looking for a way to get a share of it. Paul reportedly drove in his Toyota Tundra car with registration number ABUJA 424 ABC into his friend’s family house at Aji in IgboEze North Local Government Area of the state.

"I KEEP MY KIDNAPPED VICTIMS IN A CHURCH AND SHARE THE RANSOM WITH MY PASTOR" - ANAMBRA KIDNAPPER

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested 38-year-old wanted kidnap suspect, Okafor, a graduate of Mathematics from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Okafor popularly known as Igwe did not only fall afoul of the law as a kidnapper, he also messed up the temple of God by keeping his victims in a church and sharing his loot with the pastor.
Once on a mission to collect N5 million ransom from the family of victim in Asaba, Delta State, he was rounded up by crack policemen and locked up in a cell.
Okafor, however, escaped through the window of the cell to continue his evil trade until the hardworking members of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Anambra ended his reign of terror.

HOW TO AVOID BEING KIDNAPPED — SECURITY EXPERT

The President, Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, has advised Nigerians to increase their security alertness in the face of rising incidence of kidnapping.
Ekhomu, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, stated that recent incidents have shown that “kidnapping is back in full force,” therefore, people ought to become more alert and discerning to protect themselves from being kidnapped.
He said, “Government needs to do more in terms of detecting and punishing kidnappers, such that the severity of the punishment would deter others from becoming engaged. What happens now is they kidnap people, get their ransom money and enjoy it. They have become big men. If people are punished, may be by losing their lives, they would conclude that it is not worth it.

I DIDN’T KIDNAP BRITON BUT COLLECTED RANSOM – SUSPECT

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday paraded a 27-year-old man, Chukwuemeka Benson, for the alleged kidnap of a British expatriate, Dickson Lee.
The PUNCH had reported that Lee, who was kidnapped in Mafoluku area of the state on his way from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport last Thursday, had been rescued by the police on Sunday.
It was learnt that after kidnapping the victim, the kidnappers demanded $1m (N159m) as ransom. However, police detectives working undercover were able to negotiate N7.5m with the kidnappers.
It was learnt that the suspect was arrested while he was attempting to collect the ransom.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, said the suspect was arrested along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

POLICE KILL BAMIGBETAN’S KIDNAPPERS, ARREST TWO

The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested members of a kidnapping syndicate suspected to have kidnapped the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested shortly after kidnapping an Indian, Vivex Changrani, in the early hours of Monday.
The Commissioner of Police for the command, Umar Manko, said the suspects were not based in Lagos but only operated in the state on weekends after which they would flee to Ghana.

KIDNAPPED EJIGBO LCDA BOSS, BAMIGBETAN, REGAINS FREEDOM

The abducted Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, was late last night released by his captors.

Although the circumstances of his release were sketchy family sources confirmed his release.

Earlier in the day when news of his release hit the airwaves, relations, friends, associates and well-wishers gathered in his home with the social media re-cycling the news of the release.

In no time, handsets came alive with callers passing on the ‘news’.

It took only a few hours for the 24, Eni iwa Mimo Street, Ejigbo, Lagos residence of the Bamigbetans to begin to feel the impact: sympathisers had descended there in their hundreds to come and share in the joy of the release.

They danced, sang and exchanged joyful banters, while they awaited for Bamigbetan to show up.

FREED FRENCH HOSTAGE RECOUNTS EXPERIENCE WITH BOKO HARAM

Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, the head of the French family kidnapped by Boko Haram on 19 February in northern Cameroon, has spoken about their experience in captivity.

Emaciated and now bearded, Tanguy said in Yaounde: “We are all very tired but normal life will now resume. The conditions in which we were held were very difficult, It was extremely hot. But we did not have any serious problems.

“We are alive and we are infinitely happy to be free.

“It has been very long and difficult, it was hard psychologically and we had some very low moments. But we stuck together and that was crucial. As a family, we kept each other’s spirits up.”

COUNCIL BOSS KIDNAPPERS DEMAND $1M

Kidnappers of the  Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area,  Lagos State, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, have allegedly demanded $1m (about N160m) ransom for his release.

Bamigbetan, a former Chief Press Secretary of  ex-Governor   Bola Tinubu, was kidnapped  at about 11.30pm on  Monday  while returning from office with his driver.

But his driver, who  escaped  from  the four kidnappers sustained injury.

A ranking council official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, said the kidnappers called Bamigbetan’s wife  and  demanded $1m ransom.

He said, “The kidnappers called the chairman’s wife   around 2.30am on Tuesday. She is the only one they (kidnappers) have established communication with. They however warned her against letting the police into the matter.

SOLDIERS RESCUE KIDNAP VICTIM, ARREST SUSPECT IN LAGOS

LAGOS — Men of the Nigerian Army Quick Response Group have arrested a suspected kidnapper who was taking  his victim to their hideout along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and rescued the victim in the process.

Surprisingly, the suspect was discovered to be  the victim’s relation.

The 37-year-old suspect identified as Tony Anene, who was paraded before newsmen, weekend, in Lagos, was alleged to have connived with two others, currently at large, to abduct his  uncle, Mr. Dominic Nwaezeapu, apparently over a land dispute.

The kidnappers were also said to have cashed in on the visit of the victim’s son from the United Arab Emirates.

OKONJO-IWEALA’S MOTHER: POLICE ARREST PALACE GUARD

ASABA — POLICE have seized a 36-year-old palace guard and suspected kidnap kingpin, alleged to have facilitated the abduction of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, last December, in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State by kidnappers.

DeltaState Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, Chiejine, to Vanguard, yesterday, said: “While the police in DeltaState were after him, the Lagos State Police Command was also after him for some criminal offences, so we have handed him over to them.”

He said the police did not have a hand in the Okonjo-Iweala mother kidnap  until he was arrested by the police, last week,  after a shootout in  EdoState  in connection with the death of 71-year-old Mrs. Regina Obi after collecting N2 million ransom from her family.

EXPATRIATE KIDNAPPED IN LAGOS

AN expatriate has been kidnapped in Lagos, the US consulate said Sunday, but no further details were immediately available.

A US consulate spokeswoman did not reveal the nationality of the victim.

Such incidents are rare in Lagos, though kidnappings for ransom occur regularly in the southern oil-producing Niger Delta region and Islamist extremists have carried out abductions in the north.

“The US Consulate General in Lagos received a report that an expatriate was kidnapped on Victoria Island on Saturday, March 23 at approximately 11 pm,” the consulate said in a message to US citizens, referring to an upscale area of Lagos.

“Nigerian law enforcement confirmed this incident.”

OKONJO-IWEALA’S KINSMEN SET KIDNAP SUSPECT’S HOUSE ABLAZE

Fresh tension gripped Ogwashi-Uku, the hometown of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Prof. Ngonzi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday night as irate youths of the community razed a building belonging to a suspected kidnapper, one Chijile Onochie.

It was gathered that Onochie, now at large and some of his colleagues, who are now in police custody, were linked with the abduction and killing of a septuagenarian, Madam Regina Obidainty.

KIDNAPPED VICTIM BEATS ABDUCTORS TO COMA IN DELTA

A pharmaceutical dealer in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government of Delta state on Tuesday fought and beat four kidnappers to a state of coma.
The victim, popularly known as Joe-White, regained his freedom after spending a night in the kidnappers’ den.
He was sandwiched away by four gunmen at the gate of his residence on Isah-Road within Ogwashi-Uku, a nearby town to Asaba, where the mother of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was kidnapped few months ago.

JAMBS KILLS HOSTAGES •BRITON, GREEK, ITALIAN, FILIPINO, 3 LEBANESE DEAD • WE SHOT THEM TO STOP RESCUE –SECT

A splinter group from the Boko Haram Islam sect, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan, otherwise known asJAMBS, on Saturday announced the murder of seven foreign expatriates that were abducted in Bauchi State, on February 16, 2013.

The leader of JAMBS, Abu Usamatal Ansary, stated in a message posted in a Islamic website that the decision to execute the expatriates followed reported attempts by British and Nigerian Forces to storm the area where the hostages were being kept and release them, contrary to earlier warnings issued by the sect.

The expartriates who were kidnapped from a Lebanese Construction Firm, Setraco, at Jama’are, in  Bauchi , were three Lebanese, and a citizen each from Britain, Greece, Italy and the Philippines.

KIDNAPPED IN ABA, RESCUED IN OWERRI

•Kill 6 in Onitsha, 12 on danger list

Emmanuel Agbesi is the assembly pastor of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), South East Province Two headquarters in Aba, Abia State. On Monday, February 18, 2013, he was abducted by three men in Aba. He was heading to his church on Ndusoro Street, off Ngwa Road in his Volkswagen Golf-car when the hoodlums stopped him at gun point. As he stopped, the kidnappers jumped into his car and ordered him to drive towards the Umangasi axis of the city. Having been warned he (pastor) should not do anything funny or his life would be wasted, he obeyed them and that began his ordeal.

KIDNAPPERS TAKE LAGOS-BOUND CAR, PASSENGERS HOSTAGE

Hostage-taking assumed a new dimension in Edo State on Wednesday, as gunmen hijacked a fully loaded Lagos-bound Toyota Sienna car along with the driver and five passengers on the ever-busy Benin-Lagos Expressway.

National Mirror reliably gathered that the incident occurred before Okada around Ogbemudia Farms.

The unfortunate victims were travelling on a Greener Line Transport Company car from Warri in Delta State to Lagos. It was further gathered that the kidnappers barricaded the road with a truck, forcing the driver to stop.

7 KIDNAPPED FRENCH HOSTAGES APPEAR IN BOKO HARAM VIDEO

A video posted online yesterday apparently showed seven French hostages kidnapped from northern Cameroon, with a masked militant claiming the radical Islamic group Boko Haram from neighbouring Nigeria held them.

The video, posted to YouTube and mentioned on a jihadist website, shows one of two French men reading a statement, with a woman in between them. Four children sit on the ground near them, flanked by two masked militants wearing camouflage uniforms and holding rifles.

SETRACO KIDNAP CRISIS: FIVE BRITISH MILITARY PLANES ARRIVE IN NIGERIA

An attempt to rescue abducted seven expatriates working with SETRACO Construction Company in Jama’are local government area of Bauchi State might be under way. Five British jet bombers yesterday arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

GUNMEN KIDNAP SIX FOREIGNERS FROM OIL VESSEL OFF BAYELSA COAST

Gunmen attacked a vessel off the coast of oil-rich Bayelsa State, kidnapping six foreigners, a police official said Wednesday.

Three Ukrainians, two Indians and a Russian were taken from a vessel run by energy company Century Group 70 kilometers (43 miles) off Nigeria's southern coast on Sunday, Bayelsa police spokesman Fidelis Odunna said. According to the Associated Press (AP), the kidnappers have demanded a 200 million naira ($1.27 million) ransom.

Typically, foreign companies operating in Nigeria's Niger Delta pay cash ransoms to free their employees after negotiating down kidnappers' demands. Foreign hostages can fetch several millions of naira apiece.