Residents worried over activities of kidnappers

Less than a week after the convoy of the Kogi State Governor ,Yahaya Bello was attacked by gunmen, no fewer than four persons were allegedly  kidnapped a few metres from  Banda community of the state.

The kidnapped persons among them a female trader were returning home from an engagement when they were accosted by their abductors.

It would be recalled that Governor Bello and his convoy ran into the gunmen few kilometres from the Naval base in the state, during which some of his aides were allegedly injured and later rushed to hospital for treatment.

It was gathered that the abductees, were driving in a commercial car, when the kidnappers, shot at the rear tyres of the car almost the same spot where the State Governor was attacked forcing the vehicle to a halt after ramming into a big tree along the road.

The victims, sources revealed, were hurriedly driven to a nearby forest by the kidnappers, while another passenger Mr Adedoyin Lijoka, who was in the same car with them, escaped into the bush, before the kidnappers got to where their vehicle was forced to halt.

Residents of the community and its environs have for long, been worried over the activities of men of shady deals in the area.         As a press time, the abductors were yet to contact the families of their victims on whether or not, they would need to pay ransom before the victims could be released.

While narrating their ordeal to journalists in Lokoja, Mr  Lijoka said he first noticed that a white Camry car was trailing them from behind, stressing “I kept mute, thinking of how I would escape, if the unexpected finally happened”

“When I heard gun shots, it dawned on me that we were in for a big trouble and the next thing that came to my mind was how to escape and immediately our car stopped after ramming into a tree, I quickly jumped out of the car and ran, for safety,” he said.

“As I speak with you, I know my life is not save, because I overheard one of the kidnappers, from the bush, where I took refuge, say, “I noticed that one of them escaped before we reached where their car stopped and the man’s face is familiar,” Mr Lijoka added.

He explained that his neighbours said they have been seeing strange faces in the community he lives and suspected that they could be people sent by the kidnappers, to get him.

“I now move from one destination to another with my family, for fear of  being attacked, by this heartless gang whose activities have been giving residents, sleepless nights,” he said with bewilderment.