By CHARLES IWUOHA

Five persons have been kidnapped by gunmen on the ever-busy Mile 2 axis of lshiagu/Okigwe Road, between Imo and Ebonyi state boundary. The incident occurred on Tuesday at about 5:30pm.

The victims were said to be returning home from Enugu Airport with an airport taxi (Sienna bus) with Reg. No. KWL 941 PD before they were kidnapped.

A reliable source from the community who spoke on grounds of anonymity gave the names of the kidnapped victims as Ajah Chibuzo aged 41, his wife, his 12 years old daughter and the airport driver of the vehicle. The fifth victim was not identified.

He stated that the vehicle conveying the victims were abandoned at the scene of the incident, but was later recovered to Ishiagu Police Station.

No fewer than 20 persons have been kidnapped along the axis in the last 4 months with about four killed by the rampaging kidnappers who are suspected to be herdsmen.

The women of the community had few months ago staged a protest which later turned violent following the continued abduction of innocent residents of the area by hoodlums.

When contacted, the Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Internal Security, Ivo Local Government Area of the State, Hon Ike Cletus, confirmed the abduction. He expressed

Regrets that the local government has become a safe haven for kidnappers and attributed it to the none functionality of the local Vigilante Group in the council.

Hon Cletus expressed the concern that apart from the military personnel at the express road, the vigilante group set up by the council are not functional and call for a total overhaul of the security architecture of the local government.

His words: “It Is unfortunate that Ivo Local Government has become a safe haven for kidnappers and other criminal elements. We have a non-functional vigilante group in the local government. You hardly see them anywhere in the local government yet money are spent on them monthly without any fruitful result.

“The security architecture of the local government especially that of the local Vigilante Group must be overhauled and make it more efficient.”

Hon Cletus maintained that the administration of Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru is determined to ensure the security of lives and properties of its citizens and needs the support of the Council Chairmen in whose domain the kidnappers operate freely.

When contacted for comment, the Ebonyi state Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, did not respond to calls put across to her as at the time of filing the report.

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