Suspected kidnappers, who swooped on a family at the
Epe area of Lagos State, abducting a 16-year-old student of Caleb University,
have demanded for N10million ransom.
Rachel Chukwuemeka, only child of her parents, is a first
year Accounting student. She was abducted on Thursday around 1am.
The six kidnappers, armed to the teeth, came in a
Sienna car and four among them made a beeline for the girl’s apartment.
They used an axe to break down the door of the
apartment and grabbed the girl, who was only in her pyjamas.
They also inflicted machete cuts on her father when
he attempted to struggle with them over Rachel.
A resident said that the injury on the man was so
serious, that he had to be rushed to the nearest hospital.
Residents who said that kidnapping was still
escalating in the area, despite Mobile Policemen patrolling the area, revealed
that more than six cases occurred within the last two weeks.
Rachel’s abductors called on Friday night, demanding
for N10million ransom.
A source said: “Rachel’s family lives at the back of
the building. The building itself is fenced. The kidnappers jumped into the
compound and went straight to Rachel’s flat. They used an axe to break down the
door. They make enough noise to wake other tenants.
“When they gained entry into the flat, they asked
her parents for Rachel and went into her room to grab her. She screamed and
cried. She was only in her pyjamas; almost naked. They didn’t ask for anything
aside from Rachel. They didn’t demand for money, nothing! They were not armed
robbers. While four scaled the fence into the compound, two remained in the
Sienna car. One, among the four that jumped into the compound, wore face mask.
Rachel’s father refused to allow them to take her. When the father tried to
stop them, they inflicted machete cuts on him.”
When the kidnappers called the following day to ask
for ransom, Rachel’s mother demanded to speak with her daughter.
“The kidnappers gave Rachel the phone. The mother
asked her if she was molested in anyway, she said no. She told her mother that
they gave her clothes to cover herself. Rachel said that after the kidnappers snatched
her from her home, they bundled her into the Sienna car and drove to the wharf
in the area. At the wharf, they left the car and entered a boat. She said she
didn’t know where they took her. She described the place as isolated. The
kidnappers collected the phone and told the mother to start working on how to
raise the money,” said the source.
Residents strongly believed that Rachel was
targeted. The police came moments after the kidnappers left with Rachel.
A resident said: “We believe that some of these
kidnappers and their informants live in the community with us. We are
terrified. They go after people they think have money. Kidnapping is becoming
rampant in the area. Within two weeks, six different incidents of kidnap have
occurred. It’s a serious matter. These men always escape through the river way.
I’m suspecting that the parents of the girl will pay the ransom. I wouldn’t
blame them. They’ll negotiate with the kidnappers. They appeared to be on their
own. The police have not made any arrest since Thursday. In most kidnap cases
that have taken place in this area, victims’ families used to sort things out
themselves.”
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