Kidnappers operating from Anambra River and River-Niger axis of Onitsha, Thursday evening, abducted seven men working for a local dredging company at Onitsha end of the River-Niger.
Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr. Oliver Osuchukwu, comfirmed the incident. He identified the kidnappers as people who claim to be the land owners of the area where the dredging company collects sand for commercial purposes.
Osuchukwu also confirmed that the abductors had invited the the owners of the dredging company for settlement at the Island. But Osuchukwu ruled out the possibility of police storming because of the location of the place in high waters.
According to eye-witness account, the kidnappers operating in a speed-boat, stormed the Ose Okwodu market Onitsha axis of River Niger at about 6:00 p.m., when the workers were preparing to go home after the day�s job.
The hoodlums, Saturday Vanguard was told, clutching riffles, surrounded the men and bundled them into another waiting speed-boat and sped off to Enenchele, an Island in between River-Niger and Anambra River from where they were said to have been calling the owner of the local dredging company for negotiations.
The kidnappers were also said to have invited the proprietor for a discussion and cautioned about the adverse consequences of intimating the police. They were said to have threatened to kill the seven men if the police were involved.
The Area Commander of Onitsha Police Area Command, Mr. Rashid Akintunde, when his telephones were called refused to pick his calls inspite of several calls placed.
However, reacting on behalf of the dredgers, Augustine Nnaemeka, said that they have been severally harassed and made to pay ransom by these kidnappers so that they would be allowed to carry on their businesses but all to no avail.
He said that in some other incidents ladies were abducted, molested and violated for several days before releasing them. He called on the police to come to their immediate rescue.