By Itode Akari
Copyright independent
PORT HARCOURT – Kidnappers posing as transporters have abducted a health worker who operates a patent medicine store at Rumuoro community in Ogbakiri, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers, identified simply as Mrs Esther, collecting a ransom of N309,000 before releasing her.
The incident happened on Thursday, September 11, 2025, while the victim was on transit from Rumuoro community to Choba, near Port Harcourt.
It was learnt that the criminals earlier infiltrated into the community, disguised as transporters to lure their unsuspecting victims into their trap.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim, Mrs Esther, a mother of two children said, “I went to market, as I wanted to come back, I was at Ozuoba junction, I was looking for a vehicle, I now saw a Keke bus with two women and two men inside.The Keke bus indicated that it was going to Choba, I now entered.
“After I entered the vehicle, as they drove a distance, they closed the door and brought out guns and pointed them at me. One of the women brought out clothes and covered my face, so that if I shout, they will kill me. They forced me to open my phone, and they also collected all the money in my bag.
“They demanded one million naira. I was begging them. They said I should call the person who will send money to me, or they will take me to their centre, and if they take me to their centre, I will pay.
“I called someone in the village, and the person sent N103,000, including the POS person’s charge. Another person sent N206,000 to the POS account details they gave the person.
“After the two separate money was sent to them, they were still insisting I call more people to send money, but I told them, I don’t know anybody anymore. I was pleading when one of them asked where I hail from, and I said Akwa Ibom. The woman who asked me is an Akwa Ibom woman. She pleaded with them to let me go.
“On getting to Choba, close to an eatery, they started driving slowly and asked me to jump down and I jumped down.”
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro, who confirmed the incident, said he was contacted by the family of the victim when she was still in captivity, and he encouraged them to inform the Police.
He added that an hour later, the victim’s family called and told him that the woman had been released by her abductors.
Mr Wiro urged residents of the state to always observe vehicles before entering and always take note of the registration number of the commercial vehicles they are about to board, and if possible, send the registration number of the vehicle to their loved ones.
The Rights advocate equally called on the Police to intensify diligent stop and search operations in areas that have been identified as flash points for ‘one chance’ robbers in the state.
Wiro noted that he had further advised that the traumatized victim be taken to the Police Division in charge of the area where the incident occurred to lodge a formal complaint.
