Lokoja
No fewer than 16 persons have been kidnapped in Kogi state in less than a week as kidnapping continued in the state, Duaglobalnews reports.
The latest in such frightening development is another set of 12 persons kidnappedl between Itobe and Ajegu communities in Ofu Local Government Area of the state on Sunday apart from 4 others on the same day.
Duaglobalnews gathered from a reliable source that the Kidnappers of 12 persons demanded for 30 million ransom to free their victims but that they reduced the ransom to N1.5 million per victim as at Tuesday.
The online media organisation further gathered that the 12 kidnapped were in Toyota Hiace bus owned by commercial transport company when the incident occurred.
They were said to be traveling from Warri in Delta state with 4 others to Anyigba in Dekina Local Government Area of the state when the kidnappers stumbled on them.
The driver of the vehicle who escaped being kidnapped was said to have reported the case at Police division at Itobe.
The Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) for the Police Command in Kogi State, DSP William Aya, confirmed the story but said that the exact number of victims was yet to be ascertained.
About 6 p.m on same Sunday, six passengers were also kidnapped on Obajana-Kabba road on the Western flank of the state during an identity card bearing the name of a staff of JAMB was discovered.
Some members of the public, who bore their minds on the ugly development in an interview with Duaglobalnews called on the state government to redouble efforts in arresting the menace of kidnapping in the state.
“The increasing cases of kidnapping in Kogi is a serious concern to many in Lokoja and its environs. We call on the security outfits in the to bail law abiding residents of this state from the claws of kinappers.
” The issue, really, is getting out of hand”, one of such members, who simply wants to be known as Thomas,”said in Lokoja.