LAGOS APRIL 11TH (URHOBODAY)-Gunmen who kidnapped three prominent Lagos Urhobo chief along Ore-Benin road has finally contacted their relations demanding for ransom of N20 million each before their captives could be released.
Eight Lagos Urhobo chiefs have embarked on a journey from Lagos to Delta State with respect to honoring the invitation of the Council of Ivie on Monday.
On approaching the Ugbogi town in Edo State, some distance from Okada junction, their smooth journey was abruptly brought to an end as their convoy of two vehicles ran into road block mounted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers shooting sporadically into the air and dispossessing their victims of cash and valuables at 2.00. pm.
In attempt to escape, Urhobotoday.com learnt that the chiefs opened the doors of their vehicles and fled into the bush. Unfortunately, when they finally emerged out of their places of hiding after the bandits operation, three of their colleagues were missing. Attempts to trace them were futile.
They decided to resport the incident at the Iguo Basuwa Police Station where a police officer who did not want his name on print revealed that their incident was the third before 2.00pm that Monday. The kidnappers suspected to be hiding within Ugbogi forest called their captives contacts demanding for N20m ransom for the release of each of the abducted chiefs.
Confirming the abduction of the three Chiefs to Urhobotoday.com on telephone, Secretary of Urhobo Progress Union(UPU), Lagos Chapter, Chief Felix Ikpimi disclosed that the Chiefs vehicles where ambushed by heavily armed kidnappers at Ugbogi who whisked three of them into the forest.
According to him, the names of the abducted Chiefs who are members are of Urhobo Traditional Council Of Chiefs Lagos are Chief Johnson Ojakovo, Chief Omonigho Akpofure and Chief Julius Owanrieta.
“The Chiefs were travelling from Lagos to Delta to honour the invitation of the Council of Ivie over an issues at a very short notice. They used two cars with four passengers each making 8- man team.
“As they were approaching the Ugbogi town in Edo State they ran into the bandits operation. They opened their car doors and ran into the bush. When they returned after the operation they were short of three members,” Ikpmi who is seriously on how they can raise such huge to bail the chiefs revealed.
He, however disclosed that the Ivie Council and President-General of Urhobo Progress Union (Worldwide) Olorogun Moses Taiga are doing everything possible to rescue the abducted chiefs.
He said a meeting has been fixed by the Council and UPU leadership for today (Thursday) to resolve the problem.