Police parade native doctor in Rivers for kidnapping

A native doctor, Otamiri Chinedu, from Olakwo community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, has been paraded by the Rivers State Police Command for kidnapping.

The suspect was arrested by the local vigilante.

Chinedu, during the parade, confessed that he and members of his gang collected the sum of N300,000 from their first kidnapping victim, adding that N250,000 and N500,000 were collected from their second and third victims, respectively.

He, however, denied involvement in the recent kidnapping he is being accused of, which was the abduction of four law students in Etche LGA in 2022.

The native doctor said he sells motor parts for a living alongside his traditional practice.

He explained: “The day they accused me of kidnapping the barristers, I was not in the house that day. I went to our meeting of Water Marine Association of Native Doctors.

“We went to the meeting at Abara, Etche. I was in my shop on Wednesday when OSPAC (vigilante) drove to my shop that I was under arrest. As the police arrived, I followed them to their station.”

He then insisted: “I did not kidnap the barristers they are accusing me of; it’s three people I have kidnapped before. But this one that they are accusing me of, I did not do it. The first person I kidnapped, I took N300,000; the second one is N250,000; the third one is N500,000.”