A three-man armed gang of kidnappers, Tuesday night, abducted a middle-aged housewife of a business mogul, identified as Mrs. Christie Orakeme at her family home at Amorc road, off DLA road in Asaba, capital city of Delta state.
Family sources told HardReporters that, Mrs. Orakeme was kidnapped in her car at the gate of the family house at about 10.25pm while waiting for her son to open the gate for her.
The source, who narrated how the gunmen shot into the air as they drove off in high speed with their victim, said the kidnappers have laid ambush for their victim who was returning from a church function.
“She went out at about 9.pm to attend to some urgent matter in the church. She returned and was waiting at the gate for her son to open the gate for her, when some armed men attacked her. They forced her out of her car and put her in their own car, a Mercedes Benz car and zoomed off. I gave them a chase on foot, and was shouting for help, but no one came out,” the source said.
HardReporters further gathered that the kidnappers had called the family last night with the victim’s cell phone demanding a ransom of N60 million, before later reducing the amount to N25 million.
Husband of the victim, Mr. Osita Orakeme, who arrived from his base in Oghara, near Warri on Wednesday morning, also confirmed that the kidnappers called him twice, to reduce their ransom demand to N25 million.
“They have called me twice, in fact they called to say I should give them N25 million, but I told them I don’t have such amount of money, and they hung up the phone,” he said.
When contacted, Police spokesperson, DSP Andrew Aniamaka who confirmed the incident on phone, said the police have commenced investigations after the family reported the matter to the police on Tuesday night.
“I have been able to confirm the kidnap after the matter was reported to the ‘A’ Division of the State Command. Firstly, we have to do everything humanly possible to rescue the victim unhurt. A team of police detectives have already swung into action to track down the culprits and rescue the victim unhurt,” he said.
There is serious growing concern over the spate of insecurity in across the State as kidnappers go on rampage kidnapping innocent persons for ransom.
HardReporters, observed that within a space of one week, about five persons have been kidnapped without traces, including Mr. Valentine Mbalu, DPO in charge of ‘C’ Division, Asaba who was abducted last week Sunday.
Since inception of the Okowa led administration, rate of kidnapping has been on the increase across the state as all efforts continue to remain unfruitful.
