Gunmen snatch seven weeks old baby

Three armed men on Wednesday snatched a seven weeks old baby at Okungbowa Street, Uselu quarters in Egor local government area.

The men were said to have stormed the residence and asked everybody to lie down at gun point before snatching the baby.

Mother of the baby, Ruth Okungbowa, said the incident happened at about 8pm.

Ruth said she was surprised when the gunmen left and she was told it was her baby that they took.

According to her, “I was just finishing eating and my sister was carrying the baby. Suddenly three men entered the house with gun. Two were with us inside, while the one was with my sister.

“After they left, I heard my sister crying that they have taken the baby away. They escaped with a car and my brother used bicycle to purse them.”

Her father, Mr. Albert Okungbowa, said he asked his daughter to bring the sick baby because two previous babies his daughter had died.

He said he was surprised that the father of the baby did not show much concern when they informed him about the incident.

When contacted, father of the baby, Osayomore Igbineweka, said news about his stolen baby was still strange to him.

He said he was yet to believe the story as his wife was supposed to have returned home.

“I have told my wife to come back him but she did not. The story is still strange to me. I beg God to make them bring my baby back.”

When contacted for comments, Edo Police Public Relations officer, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said he would have to get clearance from his boss to discuss the incident on the phone.

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Truck hits Air Peace aircraft at Lagos Airport

Truck operated by one of the ground handling companies yesterday hit and damaged an aircraft belonging to Air Peace at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, disrupting some of its flights.

The incident occurred in the morning during the loading of passengers’ luggage into the cargo hold of the aircraft scheduled to service the carrier’s Lagos-Uyo route.

A statement issued by the Corporate Communications Manager of Air Peace, Mr. Chris Iwarah, said the door of the rear cargo hold of the aircraft was impacted and damaged in the incident.

The aircraft, it added, had been declared unserviceable.

The airline’s Uyo-bound passengers were rescheduled to fly later in the day.

The airline said it deeply regretted the disruption of the Lagos-Uyo service and the delay the incident caused its passengers.

It assured that arrangements had been made to take the affected passengers to their destinations.

A truck belonging to another ground handling company also hit and damaged an aircraft belonging to Air Peace at the Benin Airport in April, this year.

Air Peace confirmed that officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) were already investigating the incident at the Lagos airport yesterday.

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Kaduna Police Command arrest 2 suspected kidnappers

The Kaduna State Police Command, on Thursday said that it had arrested two  suspected kidnappers operating on major highways in the state.

The Command’s Public Relation officer, ASP Muktar Aliyu, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the suspects were arrest on Dec. 17.

Aliyu said the operatives of the  Intelligence Respon Team (IRT) attached to Operation Absolute Sanity Along Abuja-Kaduna Express way arrested the suspects.

“The two suspected kidnappers  were operating along Jere/Katari axis of the Abuja-Kaduna express way and Jere-Kagarko Road all in Kaduna State.

He said the two suspects, Adamu Lawan, 30, and Aminu Lawan, 25, were on the police’s wanted list.

Aliyu said items recovered included two  AK47 rifles and 135 rounds of live ammunition.

“The kidnappers were arrested with bullet wounds after gun battle with IRT operatives.

The PPRO said the suspects had confessed to being part of  several kidnappings along the two major highways.

He said serious efforts to arrest more gang members were in progress. (NAN)

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Catholic Priest Released in Calabar After Paying Huge Ransom

Some kidnappers who abducted a Catholic Priest have released him in Calabar after collecting ransom.

Kidnappers have released an abducted Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Cyril Essien, after a N350,000 ransom was dropped at a designation point on Edgerton Street in Calabar, Cross River State, a report by Punch has revealed.

It was gathered that Essien was abducted on Friday from a Catholic Church in Awi, in the Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state, by some gunmen. He was said to have been released on Sunday after the ransom was paid.

Speaking over the incident, an eyewitness, Okon Ayi on Monday said that Essien was kidnapped shortly after the church’s evening programme by five gunmen who stormed the premises and shot continuously.

“It was the sound of gunshots that drew my attention. I looked around and saw armed men. They took the priest away in a waiting vehicle,” he said.

A police source confirmed on Monday that the priest was released after the ransom was paid.

 

“He was released on Sunday after the kidnappers got the ransom. They dropped N350,000 in a particular spot on Edgerton Street in Calabar,” he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the kidnap, said the priest had been released.

Ugbo said, “The priest was kidnapped in front of the church on Friday and was taken away by five armed. We immediately swung into action when information got to us.

 

“We dispatched our men who rescued the victim.”

The PPRO said he was not aware that any ransom was paid to secure the priest’s release.

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