Vigilance group rescues kidnapped Imam in Rivers

CP Mustapha Dandaura, Commissioner of Police,Rivers State

A 42 – year-old lmam kidnapped by hoodlums and taken to a hideout in the creek of Rumuolumeni waterside in Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers State was on Tuesday rescued by  members of a local vigilance group operating in the area, popularly known as OSPAC.

The Chairman of OSPAC in the area, Azubuike Amadi told a Port Harcourt based radio station monitored by our correspondent that members of the local vigilance group were alerted by the villagers that kidnappers had abducted the lmam and whisked him away into their hideout where they had makeshift building for keeping of their victims.

“We got information that they have kidnapped somebody. On getting the information on Tuesday March 3, we stormed their hideout in the outskirts of the Rumuolumini Waterside and rescued man. The hideout is a swamp area very close to the Waterside, where they built a house that serves as a hideout.

When stormed their hideout there was an exchange of fire. But when they saw that we overpowered them, they fled, but we were able to arrest one of them and rescue the Imam.”

He called on the Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Dandaura to send his his men to come and take the suspect and the Imam.

“They should not by tomorrow set the suspect free. Please, the residents of the area should be careful and vigilant pass on useful information about activities of Criminals in the area”.

At the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Police Command had not reacted to the claim by the Vigilance group and neither is the full identity of victim known.