Gunmen Kidnap 8 Year-old, Kill Sister
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 01.30.2009
Gunmen yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, killed an 11-year-old girl escorting his brother, eight-year-old Samuel Awolesun, to school and took away the boy, one of whose parents is said to be an employee of Shell Petroleum Devel-opment Company.
But it was a day of mixed bag of tragedy and relief as the hoodlums who kidnapped Total staff member Ngozi Ile on January 24, 2008 and Reverend Father Pius Kii last Sunday set them free in the early hours of yesterday just after the protest by the Catholic clergy in Port Harcourt, who insisted they would not pay any ransom for Kii’s release.
The father of the kidnapped boy was identified as Mr. Samuel Awolesun and the killing of the girl escorting him to school occurred around 7.30 am. The girl allegedly tried to resist the kidnap of the boy raising an alarm, which prompted her shooting. The gunmen then forced the boy into a red Honda car and sped off.
According to eye witnesses, the attack took place at the busy Rumuokwuta Junction, where after the shot rang out, most commuters who were waiting for vehicles to their destinations allegedly scampered to safety in different directions.
Spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the shooting of the girl and the kidnap of the boy when contacted but said he lacked details on the attack.
He added that on learning of the attack, JTF mobilised their men who combed all the area without making any headway in intercepting the hoodlums.
He said the kidnap was yet to be linked to any group as none has claimed responsibility but assured that they were working round the clock to ensure the safety and early release of the boy.
On the freed Total employee, information available to THISDAY said she was freed on the night of January 28, though no mention was made of whether any ransom was paid out of the N10 million the kidnappers demanded.
It was also not certain if the N20 million the hoodlums demanded for the release of the priest was paid.
Wanted leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr. Ateke Tom, had issued a 24-hour ultimatum to those holding Kii to release him or face his wrath. It is not clear how he was linked to issue the ultimatum.
According to agency reports, police sources also confirmed the kidnap yesterday: “A toddler who was being walked to school was abducted by gunmen in a car and the maid was shot as she resisted,” said Rita Inoma-Abbey, Police Spokeswoman for Rivers State.
There has been a surge in kidnappings in recent weeks in the oil-producing Niger Delta, targeting both foreign oil workers and prominent or wealthy Nigerians despite condemnations of the criminal act.
Many of the hostages have been released unharmed after payment of a ransom.
