Female footballers, officials abducted, kidnappers demand N30m

Six people, which include players and officials of a grassroots female team, were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Uronigbe, a border community between Edo and Delta states in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

Our correspondent learnt that the six victims were kidnapped around 6pm on Friday, while returning from a game at Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State.

A source in the community said the kidnapers had contacted some families demanding a ransom of N5m each for the victims.

He said, “They (footballers) went to Owa-Alero to play a football match, but on their way back, they were kidnapped at Uronigbe area, the boundary between Delta and Edo.

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“The victims include Mrs Precious Agbajor, one Abraham, Nancy, Beatrice, the driver and one other person. They are six in number that are in the kidnapper’s den. The matter has been reported at the Uronigbe police station.

“The kidnappers have contacted the family of Agbajor and asked them to pay N5m for his wife.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Delta State, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the kidnap, adding that the incident happened in Edo State.

His Edo State counterpart, Chidi Nwabuzor, said from the records available at the State Command, there was no information on the incident.

“You know we transmit our records to Force Headquarters everyday. There is no such record before us. From the Command’s record, no such incident happened yesterday (Friday), so the police will not give account of anything unreported.

“It is only when an incident is reported that the police can act on it. In most cases, citizens are not aware of the powers to report incidents. So the record I have from the Command is that no such incident happened yesterday (Friday), today (Saturday) and even the day before yesterday (Thursday).”

Punch