By JUDEX OKORO, Calabar

The menace of kidnapping in Cross River State has continued unabated as about four persons have been kidnapped within Calabar metropolis in the last six days.

This recent surge is coming on the heels of last week’s kidnapping of Vivien Otu, a paediatrician with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.

Though Vivien is still in the net of the abductors, other people have found fallen victims of the booming kidnap business and have been in the abductors’ den.

Following her abduction, doctors in all public and private medical institutions withdrew their services to protest her abduction and they remain shut as at the time of this report.

However, since Mrs Otu was abducted last Friday, others citizens said to have been equally wisked away include

an unnamed pastor at Atu Street, Calabar South and one Mr Effiom Edem Asuquo all kidnapped on Sept 1, 2020.

Another victim, Promise Inyang Edet, was allegedly kidnapped in her residence on September 3 at Ibesikpo street, Calabar South about 7:00am and her abductors are yet to make contact with her family.

Family source said the matter has been reported to Mbukpa Police Station, the DSS office and other relevant security agencies.

Other victims of kidnapping business are Dr. Anthony Egbe, a lecturer in the Cross Rivwr State University of Technology, CRUTECH, who was abducted on August 29, 2020 at Asabanka, Akpabuyo and Mr. Joe Offiong, a safety department staff of UNICEM, who was abducted last month. Both are said to have been released after payment of ransom to the abductors.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Irene Ugbo, confirmed the relelase, saying: “Dr Egbe, a lecturer attached to CRUTECH, was kidnapped on the Saturday, Auguat 20, 2020 at Asabanka Akpabubio and have been released, after we had raided the area.

“One suspect who master-minded the kidnapping of the victim, has been arrested,” she stated.

And determined to fight kidnapping, the new Cross River Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulkair Jimoh, said they have arrested eleven kidnap suspects at a forest in Cameroon.

Jimoh, while parading the suspects, including Egbe Horatus, Enow Faith, Nkwa Ayuk Boris, Agbor Ntui and Eno Livingston, aid they were arrested

by Marine Division, Mfum in Etung local government area while on routine patrol of waterways. (Daily Sun)

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