There was anxiety and tension in Egbo-Uhurie and Otokutu communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State over multiple incidents of abductions as kidnappers allegedly held sway in the area.
Our reporter gathered that residents are moving out of the communities in their droves and are currently seeking refuge in the cities as the unabated kidnapping cases have gone beyond the unusual.
Though the report is sketchy (at the time of this report), it was learned that an unidentified Igbe leader and worshippers were recently abducted while exercising their rights of worship in one of the streams in the Egbo-Uhurie community.
A source who spoke to our correspondent revealed that the Olori-Igbe had led the disciples to embark on a spiritual cleansing exercise at a nearby stream in the community when the incident occurred.
“They had all gathered at the stream and were already in the process of the spiritual cleansing when they were all rounded up and taken to an unknown destination by the kidnappers.
“At the kidnappers’ den, they were all made to denounce their deity as some of them were beaten. They were released a few days later after an amount of money was paid as ransom. As if that was not enough, they kidnapped another person, a male to be precise and the family has to pay a ransom of N30m to secure his release. The anonymous source alleged that some of the Egbo-Uhurie community leaders refused to accept the local vigilantes’ gesture to combat the kidnappers when they were approached.
‘’They extended their activities to the Otokutu community and people are migrating from both communities because of the fear of being kidnapped’’ he said.
Though the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer SP Edafe Bright could not be contacted over the incident, a security source from the State Police Command who confirmed the incident said, “Yes Egbo-Uhurie and Otokutu had been experiencing some kidnapping but there is relative calmness because of the increased police patrol.”
