Rivers Police rescue 14 oil workers after 16 days in kidnappers’ den

Rivers Police rescue 14 oil workers after 16 days in kidnappers’ den

Sunday, September 18, 2016 7:43 pm


Rivers CP Francis Mobolaji Odesanya

Rivers CP Francis Mobolaji Odesanya

 

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The 14 oil Nestoil workers who were abducted by hoodlums on Friday September 2 were rescued by by Tactical Units of the Rivers State Police Command in the early hours of Sunday after one half hours of fierce gun duel with the hoodlums.

The victims had spent 16 days in the kidnappers den.

Omoni Nnamdi, the Spokesman for the Rivers Command said in a press state made available to journalists in Port Harcourt said “The Oil Workers were rescued unhurt due largely to the efforts of the Command’s Tactical Units, who, at the early hours of today Sunday September 18, engaged the hoodlums, in a fierce gun battle which lasted for one and half hours, leading to the rescue of the victims, the hoodlums took to flight abandoning their hostages. Efforts are on to arrest and bring them to justice”.

The Command further revealed that “the last of the hostages, seven in number were rescued unhurt bringing the total number to fourteen (14). However, no ransom was paid. They have been debriefed and are receiving medical attention in the hospital.”

It was however gathered that seven of the kidnapped workers had earlier escaped from their abductors.

According to the Police Command, Investigation is on-going at the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

The names of the fourteen (14) hostages released are Messers Uche Obuh, Oliseh Onabrakpeya, Bisong Jacob,John Ambrose, Elijah Walter, Onah Onyekachukwu  Okoro Emmanuel.  Others include:Oliver Onah, Collins Joseph,Ndifreke Elkannah  Raphael Odili,Babatunde Joseph Unah Gregory and Double Chief.

Rivers Commissioner of Police, CP Francis M. Odesanya appealed to the residents of the state to have confidence in the ability of police to reduce crime to its barest minimum in the state, urging them to go about their lawful businesses without fear, as the Command has been repositioned and re-energized to do battle with perpetrators of heinous crimes in the State.

While appealing to the public to cooperate with the police in the area of information sharing.

It was learnt that for more than a week, Police  had closed up on the abductors but waited patiently for an opportunity to strike to avoid casualties.

Rivers Police Command Public Relations Officer had confided in this magazine in an exclusive phone interview last week that the intensive combing of the bushes had yielded positive results but declined given details.

He had hinted:”I can only tell you that we have closed up on the abductors but we careful not engage them in gun duel to avoid fatalities. We want to rescue the victims alive.It is just a matter of time there would be good news.”

The oil 14 workers were kidnapped Friday,September 2, afternoon around the now dangerous Omoku-Elele link road.


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