13th April, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Passengers abducted from a commercial bus traveling to the coastal communities along Emohua-Kalabari road in Rivers State on Monday evening are still in captivity.
But while confirming the abduction of the passengers, operatives of police in Rivers said the tactical units of the Command have been mobilized to rescue the victims.
DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, the Acting Spokesperson of the Rivers Police Command who also confirmed the incident assured in a telephone interview that the abducted passengers will be rescued.
She however failed to disclose the number of those in captivity.
Iringe-Koko also clarified that contrary to earlier reports that the two buses were hijacked, only one was bus involved in the incident and the empty bus has been recovered by the Police.
The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers Dr Chidi Lloyd also said efforts are on by security agencies to track down the kidnappers and rescue the passengers.
Lloyd said he was working with his three Kalabari local government areas of Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru and Degema for the takeoff of joint Vigilante security outfit that will monitor the road and the adjoining communities.
“You recall that when we started as council Chairmen we initiated a move to monitor the Emohua-Kalabari road because its vital importance to the four local government areas as a link road.
“We are to set it up because of the lonely nature of the road, but somehow because of pressure other official activities, we have not been able to set it up. If that was in place, there would have been surveillance on the road,”Lloyd said.
He dismissed attempt to link the abduction of the passengers to the fight against illegal oil refiners.
“I totally disagree. I will not relent from my administration’s fight against illegal artisanal refining in my local government area. People cannot continue to expose me and my people to untimely death due to pollution from their illegal business.”