Suspected Kidnappers Storm Calabar Community, Attempt to Rescue Members

• According to eyewitnesses in the area, the unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers entered the Cross River State Water Board pump centre and grabbed three additional personnel.

Ekohotblog reports that a group of suspected kidnappers invaded the Lemna hamlet in Calabar Municipality Council twice on Sunday between 7 a.m. and 11.30 a.m.

During the initial strike, they successfully grabbed three persons and hauled them over the dumpsite and onto the beach to their waiting speed boat.

They nabbed three persons on Monday; a lady, a baker, and another male. They wanted N15 million before releasing the first abducted victims.

According to eyewitnesses in the area, they entered the Cross River State Water Board pump center and grabbed three additional personnel.

According to the eyewitness, with supports from local vigilantes, they were able to apprehend two of the suspected kidnappers and handed them over to the police on Sunday morning.

“As a result, the other team members had to come back, shooting and looking to rescue their members. But community members have defied their shooting. We are all out with your machetes at the beach since the police have refused to come,” the source said.

Describing how the three members of the community were taken away early this morning, private security personnel in the Lemna community said, “they held AK-47 rifles and shot several times. From where I hid, I saw that they dragged one of the victims to their speed boat like they did last week Monday. They wore police berets and uniforms.”

Another resident, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “It is now very disgusting and embarrassing. Our neighbourhood in Lemna is no longer safe. We live in fear as these kidnap and armed robbery incidents have become weekly now.

“The victims were shouting, calling for help but they threatened to shoot them.

“They shot and broke into my neighbour’s apartment, carted away his properties and still dragged him into their speed boat.”

He urged the police and navy to create a presence in the community, saying that they no longer felt safe.

Several calls went unanswered by the State Commissioner of Police, Alhassan Aminu, or the PPRO, Irene Ugbo.