THERE has been apprehension and palpable tension in Egbo-Uhurie and Otokutu communities over multiple incidents of abductions as kidnappers have lay siege to the communities for the past few weeks in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Residents of the communities are currently seeking refuge in the cities in droves as the unabated kidnapping cases has gone beyond the unusual.
Though the report is sketchy, it was learned that unidentified Igbe leader and worshippers were recently abducted while performing spiritual sacrifice in one of the streams in the Egbo-Uhurie community.
A source revealed that, the Olori-Igbe had led the disciples to embark on a spiritual cleansing at a nearby stream in the community when the incident occurred.
“They had all gathered at the stream and were already on the process of the spiritual cleansing when they were all rounded up and taken to an unknown destination by the kidnappers.
“At the the kidnappers den, they were all made to denounced their deity as some of them were beaten. They were released few days later after an amount of money was paid as ransom.
The source alleged that the Olori-Igbe pubic hairs were shaven, packaged in an alcoholic drink and they were served to drink it. Though this was not confirmed.
“As that was not enough, they kidnapped another person, a male to be precised and the family has to pay a ransom of N30 million to secure his release.
The anonymous source alleged that some of the Egbo-Uhurie community leaders refused to accept the local vigilantes venture to combat the kidnappers when they were approached.
“The vigilante chairman was kidnapped same day some of the leaders refused them to combat the menace of the suspected kidnappers.
They extended their activities to Otokutu community and people are migrating from both communities because of the fear of being kidnapped.”
Though the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer SP Edafe Bright could not be contacted over the incident.
But a security source from the from the Delta State Police command who confirmed the incident said, “Yes Egbo-Uhurie and Otokutu had been experiencing some kidnapping but there is a relative calmness because of the increase police patrol.”
