Gunmen Kidnap Three Travellers In Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of three travellers along the Obiri-Ikwerre – Airport Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state by gunmen on Wednesday.

It was gathered that the gunmen blocked the left flank of the road which is about a five-minute drive from the Port Harcourt International Airport roundabout and reportedly ambushed some vehicles.

The gunmen shot indiscriminately, while they abducted some of the occupants of the vehicles.

Spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Thursday.

Iringe-Koko said the Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has drafted tactical team commanders and Divisional Police Officers to the area to rescue the victims.

She said, “I just spoke with the Divisional Police Officer who confirmed that three persons were kidnapped.

“The Commissioner of Police has asked Tactical Team Commanders and the DPOs within that jurisdiction to put adequate security measures in place, ensuring that the hoodlums are arrested.”

Meanwhile, an eyewitness simply identified as Emmanuel who narrowly escaped the attack, revealed that three occupants of a car used for public transportation were dragged out and taken away.

Emmanuel added that one of the victims who attempted to resist the gunmen was shot before being taken away.

He said he escaped death after manoeuvring his way out of the situation and hiding under a vehicle.

He said, “Not too far from the Airport J8nction en route to Obiri Ikwerre Flyover, I ran into an ambush along with about eight to 10 other cars.

“We all saw the kidnappers shooting and we reversed to race back to the Airport Junction but we were surrounded from the back, front and all around.

“People jumped out of their cars to escape and some were shot or apprehended.

“I jumped out to run but there was nowhere to run to and at that moment, the Lord showed me a car, spoke to me and said ‘enter under this car’, I obeyed.

“How can a grown man enter fully under a Honda salon car that’s not jacked up without his body being seen?

“But because I heard His voice, that became my saving grace. Three kidnappers walked past me, dragging a man and one entered the car.

“I’m alive today because of His mercies and covenant of protection over His children.

“My wife would have been a young widow if the bullets had hit me. My young children would have been fatherless but God said no.”

The Punch earlier reported that gunmen have ambushed a convoy of Daewoo workers along the Ahoada/Abua East-West axis in Rivers State.

The gunmen shot four soldiers, and two drivers dead while they reportedly kidnapped two expatriates of the company recently.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 9.30 am.

The publication gathered that the victims were on their way to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital when they were ambushed.