Some militants suspected to be members of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta have kidnapped 11 chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State.
The incident, which occurred in Arogbo, Ese-Odo Local Government Area on Saturday night, came barely a month after MEND demanded N500m from the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, for the demobilisation of its members in the state.
Some of the kidnapped PDP chieftains are the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Ese-Odo Local Government, Chief Thompson Aka; the state Financial Secretary, Kenneth Semudara; and Mr. Corporal Nanaopiri.
The politicians were said to have been kidnapped when they went to Arogbo to select delegates for the PDP primaries for Local Government election in the state.
The militants said in a text message to journalists on Sunday that the abducted PDP leaders would not be released except Agagu paid them the N500m.
The text reads, “11 PDP stalwarts are with MEND, having reneged on the agreement reached with us. This is in line with the ultimatum given as regards our prior demand.”
The militants, who claimed that some of them were recruited to ensure Agagu’s victory in the April governorship poll, warned that one of the abducted politicians might die because he was hypertensive.
They said, “The arrangement on the ground is such that it will not only embarrass the government but it is also capable of forcing Agagu to pack out of the state.
“The government should not forget too soon that we have duplicates of all the results of the elections that took place in our camp. If that happens, the government should take the blame.”
When contacted around 6pm on Sunday, the state Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Olusola Oludipe, said that he was not aware of the incident.
“I have not heard about it. So, I cannot confirm or deny the development,” he said.
The Commissioner, of Police, Ondo State Command, Mr. Shehu Babalola, and his deputy, Mr. Joseph Awelewa, could not be reached on their telephones for comment on the development.
Also, many telephone calls and text messages by our correspondent to the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Adeniran Aremu, were not responded to.
But the state government, in its reaction, described those behind the kidnap as criminals trying to get cheap money to finance their nefarious activities.
The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, said that the kidnappers were not members of MEND.
MEND, according to him, had suspended hostage taking.
He said, “They are people looking for attention. They are people who should be resisted and arrested.
“They should be made to face the wrath of the law for their crime.”
Kekemeke said instead of giving the militants N500m, the state government would use the money to develop the region which had suffered neglect.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Celestine Omehia, has said that human skulls and mutilated bodies were found in Ogbogoro by soldiers who invaded the community on Friday.
Omehia, who spoke at a banquet in the Government House, Port Harcourt, to mark his 100 days in office, said some of the bodies were those of women whose breasts had been cut off.
He said the bodies, some of which were found floating on the creeks, were those of victims of cult clashes in the area.
Omehia said that the cultists also murdered three leaders of the community for challenging their activities.
The visibly angry governor vowed to end cultism in the state and to demolish shanties in Port Harcourt waterfronts.
Turning to the traditional ruler of Ogbogoro, he said, “What we saw was unimaginable. Only God knows how they managed to carry out such a crime.
“Your Majesty, when JTF (Joint Task Force on the Niger Delta) took over Ogbogoro, skulls were discovered in different parts of the community.
“They discovered peoples’ heads, women without breasts floating on water with their hands and legs tied.
“We have to take steps to develop and protect the people of the state.
“All our steps to develop will be in vain if people cannot live in peace here. It is pertinent to warn again that this government is against cultism and frowns at criminality.”
Omehia said the curfew imposed on Port Harcourt would continue until peace returned.
He added that cultists who showed genuine repentance would be granted amnesty.
The governor said that the demolition of waterfronts in Port Harcourt was to rid the city of hideouts for troublemakers.
“Government will not go back on its desire to demolish and transform the waterfronts no matter what it will take,” he vowed in apparent response to those calling for a rethink of the plan.
Omehia said that his administration would build a ring road round Port Harcourt, and take over the construction of the flyover bridges at Eleme junction, Artillery and Garrison from the Federal Government to ease traffic congestion in the city.
By Femi Makinde and Ibanga Isine
The Punch
Monday, September 10, 2007
