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| Lagos CP |
Gunmen
numbering five Thursday night, abducted business mogul, Francis Umeh , in Amuwo
Odofin area of Lagos. Kidnapping has become common in the area especially
FESTAC.
As at 2pm
yesterday, it was gathered that the abductors were yet to make contact with
family members of the abducted man.
The
abduction as reliably gathered , occurred barely two weeks after another
business man, Cosmos Ojukwu was abducted in Festac Town , in same local
government.
Iinformation
has it that Umeh, an auto parts dealer at Aspanda , Trade fair, along Mile
Two-Badagry express-way , was returning home when the unexpected happened.
The gun
wielding men said to have been clad in military camouflage reportedly intercepted
Umeh’s vehicle in front of Mobile filling station opposite his house.
They were
said to have ordered him out of his car , threatening to shoot him dead if he
acted otherwise. Thereafter, they dragged him into their operational vehicle
and zoomed off to an unknown destination, shooting sporadically.
It was learned
that Umeh’s wife reported the incident at the Area ‘E’ command when news of her
husband’s abduction reached her.
Umeh’s
abduction occurred two weeks after Ojukwu was kidnapped in Festac Town. It was
gathered that Ojukwu’s abductors demanded for $2m ransom , out of which members
of his family , through the contribution of friends and relatives reportedly
paid $1m after much plea.
But as at
yesterday, it was gathered that Ojukwu’s abductors were yet to release him as
they insisted that additional $1 be paid.
Family
sources hinted that “ We had to borrow to pay one million dollars. Rather than
release him, they demanded of additional one million dollars. They said that
the additional payment was because we were rude to them. We have been begging
them to release our bread winner to us. We have gone round but nobody is
willing to raise money again, as everyone is complaining of financial
hardship”.
It would
be recalled that Chairman of Comestar Manufacturing Company , Sir James
Uzochukwu Uduji was kidnapped by gunmen at 7th Avenue in Festac town, after
which they demanded $1 million for his release, last September.
His family
as gathered raised N100 million but his abductors insisted on the demanded
ransom. Unconfirmed report had it that N220 million equivalent of one million
dollars was eventually paid before he was released.
Also in
Amuwo Odofin, wife of a senior journalist was abducted in her home last year .
She was said to have been released after an unspecified amount was paid as
ransom.
Again,
family members of another business man also kidnapped last year were compelled
to pay N110 million for the release of their breadwinner. Information had it
that a cartel in the area was responsible for the kidnaps and it was
disappointing that the police had not swung into action, compelling residents
not only to lose confidence in them but also to allege complicity.
The
worrisome development has sent fear down the spines of residents of the area as
it was gathered that some of them are complementing relocating.
On a
visit to the area ‘E’ command yesterday, the area commander was said to have
left the office for the command. Some policemen who spoke on condition of
anonymity hinted that Umeh’s kidnap was not reflected in the Police crime
diary. It was also discovered that some of the kidnap cases were never reported
at the station, following strict adherence to the kidnappers directive to the
affected families.
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