Rising Rate of Kidnap in Port Harcourt, the Way Forward: Citizens Comment

Rising Rate of Kidnap in Port Harcourt, the Way Forward: Citizens Comment

The Police Command in Rivers on Wednesday confirmed the abduction of a reporter attached to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Port Harcourt, Mrs Chidiebere Onyia.
SP Nnamdi Omoni, the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers, said the command had deployed personnel to locate and rescue Onyia from her abductors.

Read the follow up stories https://suprememagazine.org/police-confirm-kidnap-of-nta-reporter-in-port-harcourt/

https://suprememagazine.org/kidnapped-nta-reporter-regains-freedom/

Suspected gunmen have abducted a lecturer with the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Dr Jones Ayuwo, and attacked three journalists of the Rivers State Television (RSTV). Supreme reports that Ayuwo, a lecturer in the Department of Linguistics and Communications Studies, was kidnapped on Sunday night on Andoni-Ogoni Road, Rivers.

Read full story https://suprememagazine.org/uniport-lecturer-abducted-3-journalists-attacked/

The indigenous people of Rivers State lament the high rise of kidnap in Port Harcourt and have urged the government to take the following measures to help curtail the issue.

From Oyibo

There is a road around Oyibo, the road between Nmirinwanyi and Ogoni, a bush is there, kidnaps operate in it frequently, government should set up check-points there. Also, around C4I along Akpajo towards Oyibo, there is a railway, the bush there is another spot where kidnappers hold their victims, there should be police patrols mounted, the police know the place I’m talking about.

From Elele

East West road used to be a den of kidnappers. Police worked fervently on the case and made changes. Before you get to Elele-Alimini, there is an Army checkpoint mounted for security. Local vigilante groups also helped if not some of us could not have travelled home.

Any form of information concerning kidnap should be given to the police for them to work hand in hand with citizens to terminate crime.

From Etche

Kidnap is on the increase in Rivers State and local vigilante can be of great help. Government should make provisions for their salary. Recently, ROSPAC in Omuma caught kidnappers and unveiled their hideout. Rivers State is rich, let it not be a case of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop. Let local vigilante groups be paid.

From Obio-Akpor

The kidnappers negotiate with police to carry out these crimes. In 2016, five policemen kidnapped someone, I know them. They were later killed in the process, I read all newspapers, magazines and listened to radio. Their death and what caused it wasn’t reported, the police did not publicise their death. There are more than 8 checkpoints before Omoku, how come crimes still occur there? In Emohua road, when kidnappers begin to operate, the police on duty disappear but when the kidnap is over, they resurface. Most of them are the kidnappers.

From Rukpoku

There are checkpoints in Rukpoku but kidnap happens. In one case I know of from a brother who is a policeman, some police men leased guns to kidnappers. The kidnappers were later apprehended and kept in a separate cell, before you know it, out of the blue, they were released. Police is the cause of many kidnaps, 70% of the time.

From Ikuru

I am from Ikuru and Navy presence is heavy there but where were they when the kidnappers stormed into the town, threw dynamite and kidnapped the king?

The case of insecurity is often on the increase in Rivers State and the government is being beckoned on all the time to do something. More and more discussions will keep going on over this issue and people will still wallow in insecurity if necessary measures are not derived from these facts to curb crimes.