By Monday OISE
The rate at which the activities of kidnappers have been going on without resistance from the security agencies is alarming that there is hardly a day we do not get reports of their dastardly act to the members of the public.
Some are able to come out alive either after paying the ransom demanded while some others are not that fortunate ,they are either killed for failure to pay up the money demanded or as a result of related health issues because of the dangerous journey undertaken through the forest without food or water. The trauma remain for a long time which at times can lead to mental issues
There is the need for the government to work on intelligence gathering as one of the measures to stem the high rate of kidnapping and other related security issues affecting the society today. The kidnappers and their agents are all having a field day carrying out their activities without resistance from any quarters which have made the people to resorts to either paying up the ransom demanded or otherwise.
There is always that feeling of wanting to keep the ransom paid to themselves ,without not disclosing what was paid to secure their freedom to the security agencies
The latest victim amongst those known was an Associate Professor with the Edo State owned University,Ambrose Alli University,Ekpoma , Prof. Blessing Idonije who was kidnapped by suspected herdsmen on the 13th April 2021 and regained his freedom after hellish five days with his abductors . He narrates his ordeals the Nigerian Observer correspondence
Excerpts-
I must first and foremost give thanks to Almighty God for his grace and for saving me from the hands of my abductors and also appreciate my family and friends who rallied round to ensured I regained my freedom .
Continuing,Prof Idonije said he was abducted on his way to Ekpoma from Sabo -Ozalla axis in the evening of 13th April 2021 along side two other persons ,they were led into the bush through Sobe /Ifon end near the boundary of Ondo state.
He was with the abductors whom he said were all Fulani herdsmen,they were all armed with sophisticated weapons( five of them ) and it was easy for him to identify that they were Fulani herdsmen because of the language they spoke and tribal marks on their face .
The Professor of Clinical Biochemistry also revealed how he was tortured for two days by the abductors for two days until his wife pleaded with them to stop the torture.
Also speaking,Dr Mike Obasuyi a close associates of the Professor and one of those who coordinated his release said “we thank God for his life and he was fortunate that the abductors did not harm him much ,they demanded 5million Naira ransom, he regained his freedom on 18th of April 2021 in the evening of the faithful Sunday evening.
