SSS parades suspected hostage-takers
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo at the weekend condemned the abduction of two construction expatriates working on the Warri-Kaima Road.
Obasanjo’s reaction came on a day the State Security Service (SSS) in Rivers State paraded two suspected hostage-takers.
Speaking while flagging off the four presidential initiative project on the Abuja-Lokoja Road, the President expressed dismay at how these expatriates are being treated and therefore appealed to all the communities through which the roads soon would be passing to be kind and hospitable to the workers.
He said: “That cannot help us, it cannot help the progression of the work, it cannot help the cost of the work because contractors would charge extra because of this issue of security. So, the money we should have used in building 12 miles or 20 km we now have to use it to build only 15 km. So you can see we are cutting our nose to spite our face.”
He added: “I then appeal to these communities where we are and the boys that are taking hostages because they are doing it for no other reason other than extortion and that is not a pleasant way of (doing) it and we will have no choice than to …be hard on criminality because it is pure criminality.”
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Transportation, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, disclosed that the Abuja-Lokoja dualisation project was awarded along with other strategic national road projects considered under the presidential initiative programme.
According to him, the 198 km Abuja-Lokoja Road was awarded in four sections as follows: Section 1 from Zuba to Sheda, which is 42 km, was awarded to Dantata and Sawoe for N11.2 billion and 57 km from Sheda to Abaji, the Section 2 was awarded to RCC Construction Company Limited for N9.6 billion.
The third section, 49 km, continues from Abaji to Kotonkarfi and was awarded to Bulletin Construction Company Limited for N9.6 billion while the fourth section from Kotonkarfi to Lokoja, 50 km would be constructed by Gitto Construction Company for N11.9 billion with a completion period of 30 months each.
“The Abuja-Lokoja Road conforms to the Federal Government policy that federal highways connecting the Federal Capital Territory into neighbouring states capitals be dualised. Every Nigerian is looking forward to the early completion of this project as the rate of accidents will be reduced and traffic hold-up experienced during festive seasons will be eliminated,” Adebayo said.
The minister also informed that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act 2005 has been passed and the legal framework for Public Private Partnership (PPP) to thrive in the nation has been put in place.
Meanwhile, the State Security Service (SSS) has paraded two persons involved in the kidnapping of an American and a Briton on January 23, 2007, at Rumuolumini, in Obio-Akpor Local Council of Rivers State.
A ransom of N5 million has been placed on the head of their kingpin, Prince Igodo, who has been declared wanted alongside 13 others for their involvement in kidnapping, gun-running and drug trafficking.
Rivers State Director of SSS, Mr. Kola Adesina, who paraded the suspects, Mr. Ekene Ibekuka (a.k.a. Jarol) and Nnamdi Eme Jackson, said the two had confessed their membership of a 15-man gang that abducted Neil Robert Mirrlees (a Briton) and Graham Billy Ray (American), both workers of Pivot GIS Limited.
Adesina explained that the kidnapping of the expatriates was led by one China and Prince Igodo, who supplied all the arms and ammunition used during the operation. He said meetings during the planning stages of the kidnap were held at Ogbogoro waterside.
The SSS boss said after the abduction, Mirrlees and Billy Ray were housed by Igodo whom he described as the kingpin of the hostage-takers in Tombia in Degema Local Council of the state.
He said Ibekuka, 21 years old, confessed getting N2.4 million as his share of an undisclosed amount paid to the kidnappers as ransom to secure the release of the hostages.
According to Adesina: “He used part of it to purchase one Mercedes Benz 190 padded car and reclaimed his father’s land that was leased out by his father in Umozu, Nwangele Local Council of Imo State.”
Ibekuka who was arrested on March 19 at a fast food restaurant at Elepranwa Road, close to Port Harcourt, was described by the SSS Director as a notorious armed robber and a convicted member of the Degbam cult group in Rivers State.
Adesina said Eme used to be a loyalist to a detained Niger Delta youth leader. According to him, Eme and Igodo, who have now graduated to a level referred to in their gang as “Titans” were contemporaries.
According to Adesina, after sharing the ransom money, Eme confessed he was given N2.5 million. Out of this, Adesina said Eme bought a Toyota Camry Salon car for N1.3 million.
According to Adesina, “he and Igodo spearheaded and led almost all the abductions of expatriates that took place along Rumuolumeni/Iwofe and Ogbogoro axis.”
He said that besides confessing being involved in the kidnap of the two expatriates, Eme, late in 2006, led a group of Degbam cultists to Rumuche community in Emohua Council where a shoot-out ensued with their rivals, leading to the death of five persons.
He also accused Eme of being part of a gang that abducted one Blessing Orlu (a.k.a. Young Chief) who has not been seen since.