‎Lagos: Suspected kidnappers shoot sporadically, abduct man in Pako-Isolo

‎By Chris Orji
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‎The wave of crime in Isolo area of Lagos escalated on Sunday, January 14, 2024, with the abduction of a young man identified as Chukwudi Ubah, by hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers.
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‎Our correspondent gathered that the alleged abduction happened shortly after 8pm close to the popular Jakande Gate as the victim was returning from Ikotun- Egbe in company of his relative.
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‎According to eye witnesses, the abductors shot sporadically to scare people before taking away their victim.
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‎One of the eye witnesses, who simply identified himself as Lekan, a commercial tricycle operator, said the suspected kidnappers drove recklessly before their action.
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‎“I was close to Pako from Cele with my passengers when their car approached from behind and nearly hit us.
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‎“In a flash, they double-crossed a car in front of us. Then shots rang out. I quickly pulled up and abandoned my tricycle. Everyone started running for safety.
‎“From a safe place, I saw a scuffle between the hoodlums and one of the occupants of the car. Then they bundled him into the car and zoom off,” he said.
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‎Another eye witness, Gabriel Uwalaka, gave the name of the abducted person as Chukwudi Ubah his cousin.
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‎ He recalled that shortly before the incident, they had an ugly encounter with a motorcyclist who broke their vehicle’s side mirror while they were locked up in the traffic, signaling what was to come. He added that the kidnap incident was later reported to the Ago police station.
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‎“We were returning from Ikotun-Egbe on the night; having left Ile-Ewe, we headed for Okota enroute Surulere area on our way home. Suddenly we ran into the gridlock that characterise the area in the busy hours.
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‎“I was discussing with my cousin, Chukwudi, whom we had not seen for sometime. We were talking about life in our own part of Nnewi town and reviewing developments in the village.
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‎“Then he shifted our reflections to lament over his ordeal in the hands of his father’s kinsmen who had been harassing him over the large portions of land he inherited from his late father being the only son. He kept showing us a scare he still bore following injuries inflicted on him during a scuffle at one of their meetings and how his wife was physically assaulted with a pestle during a dispute, how they were once attacked by hired tugs and all of that.
‎”Just then, a motorcyclist and his passenger who was wearing a nose mask appeared. The passenger smashed the side mirror of our Siena car.
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‎“Both men tried to escape but they were prevented from doing so. They ended up paying us N10,000 as compensation.
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‎“However, it was the conduct of the passenger that triggered our suspicion that we might be in for something bigger.
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‎“He looked at my cousin in the face and screamed ‘Chukwudi, you will see!’ and then they zoomed off.
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‎Continuing he said: “As we left Pako roundabout about to connect to Okota road, just close to Gideon Secondary School , a blue-coloured Toyota Camry car double crossed our car. Then, three guys sprang out of the car and started shooting into the air. There was commotion. People began scampering for safety.
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‎“I managed to slip out of the car and ran. But they dragged Chukwudi out of the car, squeezed him into theirs and zoomed off.”
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‎Gabriel claimed that he feared that the abduction of his cousin, Chukwudi, was premeditated.
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‎When contacted, a senior police officer at Ago police station, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that a case of abduction was reported to them shortly after 9pm on January 14.
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‎“The case was reported to us here on January 14,” he said. “The matter is currently under investigation.”