SAD! Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Abia

Gunmen has kidnapped a businessman in Abia State, The Nation can confirm.

A yet-to-be identified businessman has reportedly been abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State.

Our correspondent gathered that the businessman was kidnapped at a location called Barracks off Opobo-Azumiri road in Obingwa Local Government of the State.

It was gathered that the gunmen who had trailed the man whisked him away after forcing his car to a halt.

A military source who spoke anonymously said it was already late when information about the kidnap got to them, but assured that they will swing into action as soon as they get any lead about the kidnappers.

Meanwhile, residents of Aba have lamented the rising spate of kidnapping and armed robbery in Aba and its environs.

Some of the residents including some victims of kidnapping disclosed that the gunmen who sometimes operate in a commercial bus carryout their nefarious act between the hours of 6pm to 8pm before the commencement of the State curfew.

According to them, the hoodlums cash into the rush hour to pick their target(s) who they either trailed or target randomly.

A victim who disclosed that he was a case of mistaken identify said that he paid N1m to regain his freedom, adding that the gunmen after his release told him how he can get back his Lexus SUV where it was packed in a forest off the commercial city.

“I know that the country and the state are facing serious security challenge with the series of attacks on various police and security formations, a situation that had put a lot of burden on their personnel.

“A policeman told me that they are more focused on protecting their facilities than responding to emergencies.

“According to the policeman, chasing after hoodlums within and off the town is now risky as such could be a ploy by the unknown gunmen to lure them away and reduce the strength of officers in their facility.

“These armed robbers and kidnappers know it and as such capitalizing on the insecurity situation in the land to carry out their nefarious act knowing that it will be hard for police or other security agencies to come after them.

“My appeal is for government in the state and federal to support the security agencies by giving them what they require to do their jobs effectively.

“The criminals operate especially during the rush hours. Like my own case, I became a victim because they lost a similar car that they were trailing.

“Their initial demand was N5m until they later brought it down to N1m.

“My friends and wife rallied round to raise the money. I told them that I didn’t have such money that they were demanding, but they said I can’t be driving the kind of car that I am driving without having more than N1m. My attempt to explain that the car was sent to me by my in-law failed on deaf ears.

“They said that I should contact that my in-law to raise money for my release. But when they saw that the money wasn’t coming, they started reducing it till they get to N1m.

“It wasn’t a funny experience. But I am appealing to our security agencies to rise up to the occasion to avoid these guys causing more harm on innocent citizens.”