A kidnapping gang operating in a Sienna bus has once again targeted Fegge, Onitsha, in Anambra State, abducting a man at Port Harcourt Road, near Uga Street.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred around 4:30 pm last Thursday at 37 Port Harcourt Road, directly opposite Hanza Suleman’s provision store and near the United Bank for Africa (UBA) branch. The victim, a man, was reportedly blocked by the gang’s Sienna bus while walking along the road. Despite shouting for help, he was overpowered by the armed kidnappers.
The assailants, who had been concealed in the bus, swiftly disembarked, each armed with AK-47 rifles. At least five men, posing as security officers, confronted the victim, handcuffing him with one cuff on his wrist. The victim struggled but was eventually forced into the vehicle, which sped off toward the Upper Iweka area.
The Onitsha South Landlords Association Forum (OSLAF) has strongly condemned the rise in abductions, expressing frustration that, despite previous alarms raised, the local police have not taken effective action. OSLAF criticized the police for focusing on roadblocks that allegedly serve as opportunities for extortion, rather than conducting intelligence-driven operations aimed at tackling the root of the criminal activity.
OSLAF emphasized that over the past month, more than five people have been abducted in the region, with substantial ransoms paid for their release. Additionally, the vehicles involved in these abductions remain unaccounted for. “What kind of policing is this? We need intelligence-driven policing, not mere roadblocks,” the group stated.
In response to the growing insecurity, OSLAF has called on Dr. Ikioye Orutugu, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, to overhaul the security framework in Onitsha and its surrounding areas. They have urged for immediate action to curb the rising threat of kidnapping.
The group also called for a state of emergency on security matters in Onitsha, particularly in the Fegge area, which they described as “completely insecure.” They warned that if another abduction occurs without swift arrests, OSLAF would initiate an aggressive protest.
“Can we continue to live in fear?” the group asked. “If the criminals are not arrested, we will not hesitate to take action.”