- Gunmen forcibly took victims into nearby forest, leaving the vehicle abandoned at the scene
- Over past four months, at least 20 abductions occurred in the area; four victims killed by suspected herdsmen
Unidentified gunmen struck on Tuesday around 5:10pm, kidnapping five individuals along the bustling Mile 2 stretch of the Ishiagu/Okigwe express road in Ebonyi State.
The victims, who had just arrived from Enugu Airport in a taxi (Sienna bus) bearing license plate KWL 941 PD, were abducted at Mile 2 in Ishiagu, located within Ivo Local Government Area. The assailants, whose identities remain unknown, forcibly took the victims into the nearby forest.
According to an unnamed source within the community, the kidnapped victims include Ajah Chibuzo, aged 41, his spouse, their 12-year-old daughter, and the airport taxi driver. Additionally, the gunmen kidnapped a farmer they encountered on his farm during the abduction.
The vehicle that transported the victims was left abandoned at the scene, but it was eventually recovered and taken to the Ishiagu police station.
Over the past four months, no fewer than 20 individuals have been abducted within this vicinity, with four of them losing their lives at the hands of the marauding kidnappers, suspected to be herdsmen.
Several months ago, the women from the community organized a protest against the continuous abduction of innocent residents in the area. Unfortunately, the protest escalated into violence.
In response to the incident, Hon Ike Cletus, the Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Internal Security for Ivo Local Government Area, confirmed the event. He expressed dismay over the area’s transformation into a haven for kidnappers and attributed this dire situation to the ineffectiveness of the local Vigilante Group.
Cletus raised concerns about the lack of functionality of the vigilante group established by the council and called for a complete overhaul of the security framework within the Local Government Area. He noted that, apart from the military presence along the express road, there is a pressing need for enhanced security measures to combat the prevailing threat.
According to him, “It’s s unfortunate that Ivo Local Government has become a safe heaven for kidnappers and other criminal elements. We have a none functional vigilante group in the Local Government. You hardly see them anywhere in the Local Government, yet money is spent on them monthly without any fruitful result.
“The security architecture of the Local Government, especially that of the Local Vigilante Group must be overhauled and made more efficient.”
He maintained that the administration of Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru is determined to ensure the security of lives and properties of its citizens even as he stressed that the present administration needed the support of the Council Chairmen in whose domain the kidnappers operate freely.
At the time of this report, Ebonyi State Police Command was yet to confirm the abduction of the suspects.