News Obiaks News

The traditional ruler of Isiebu autonomous community in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Hyacinth Onyenankeya, narrowly escaped being kidnapped yesterday. This is coming in the wake of the kidnap incidence recorded across the country in recent times. The series of kidnapping incident of prominent individuals had been concentrated on the southwest in recent times and the kidnappers seem to be setting their eyes on the southeast for the first time in a long time. He had however linked his narrow escape to Divine providence.

Confirming his narrow escape to newsmen, the royal father explained that the suspected kidnappers engaged the services of his house girl (names withheld) and that she was the one acting as their insider and supplying them with information on how to kidnap him. He said if not for Divine intervention, he would have been capture by now by the kidnappers.

“She was assigned the responsibility of ensuring that the back door of my Amaifeke, Orlu residence, and all the doors leading into my bedroom were left opened,” Eze Onyenankeya recounted.

Explaining how the bubble burst, the royal father said he was startled by a strange drop of a whitish substance, adding that on flashing his torchlight at the window of his bedroom, he saw a figure walking away.

“I quickly alerted one of my tenants who also woke others up. Some of them came out but my house help was seen in my guest house. She later confided in my sister, Cecilia Oguzie, and ran away from my house thereafter,” Eze Onyenankeya said.

The royal father affirmed that he promptly reported the matter to the police, adding that he gave the names of people he suspected of masterminding the plot. He said he was certain some members of the community were involved in the kidnapping attempt, though he did not mention any name to newsmen. He insisted he had submitted names of those he thought could be responsible for the kidnap attempt and he had left things to the discretion of the police.

“I was, however, disappointed that what I told the police in strict confidence was later rolled out to the suspects and they later came back bragging, as they relayed all I told the police,” the royal father said.

While noting that most of the suspects had disappeared from Orlu, Eze Onyenankeya also appealed to the police high command to come to his aid. When contacted on his mobile phone, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, described kidnapping, murder and armed as capital offences that would not be toyed with by any police officer and that none of his men would engage in such act of breech of trust.

Although the PPRO could not categorically confirm if the letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police by the royal father’s lawyer had been received, he was, however, unable to explain how the alleged kidnap suspects got details of the private discussion Eze Onyenankeya held with a top police officer in Orlu Area Command.