Abia CP Discovers Schools And Tunnel Used For Kidnappings

A tunnel believed to be used by kidnappers to transport victims into the forest was discovered in the Lekwesi hamlet of Umunneochi LGA, Abia State.

The Abia State Commissioner of Police, CP Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, said this over the weekend while leading a team of “Operation Crush” troops and some Abia State government officials to two schools in the Lekwesi town in Umunneochi LGA that had been kidnapped.

CP Onwuemelie stated that the schools visited had been dilapidated for a long time, and that rehabilitation would make it more difficult for criminals to utilise them as dens.

CP Onwuemelie further stated that the entire area is vast, and the culverts visible in the bushy sections may be used to hide victims.

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“Because, if you are not aware that those culverts are there and you are passing by, you just pass on on top. There is a possibility that any structure that provides cover can be used to hide kidnapped victims including the culverts but we must also tell you that in the past seven months, the challenge of kidnapping has been tackled very well in Abia State,” he said.

Commander Macdonald Uba (Rtd), Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters and a member of the team, claimed that past governments did not build roads around the schools, and that kidnappers took advantage of the circumstances to utilise the locations as their nest.

He stated that the Abia State Government would repair the road and reactivate the schools, but encouraged the host villages to always give timely information to the state government and security personnel.

According to Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, information from security services revealed that the tunnel was used to drop off abduction victims after they had paid a ransom.

Ndubuisi Ike, Chairman of Umunneochi LGA, stated that kidnappings in the area have decreased drastically.

Mr Ike, who claimed that the kidnappers vandalised the two schools and sought to dominate the area, praised Governor Otti and security agencies for their efforts.

Some members of the Lekwesi community, including Stephen Udeogu, Mr. Njoku Augustine, and Anthony Akuma, stated that after kidnappers invaded the Lekwesi secondary school, students were relocated to the Lekwesi primary school, where the kidnappers chased the students out, occupied the schools, and began using the buildings as kidnap dens.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli