LAGOS MAY 4TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Residents of once peaceful Ughelli community of Ughelli-North LGA, Delta State are gripped with palpable fear following incessant kidnappings, armed robbery and killings in the Urhobo community by suspected hoodlums. They terrorized the community on daily basis without help from the police or vigilante outfit.
Urhobotoday gathered that hoodlums from surrounding villages of Orerokpe, Adagbrasa, Oghara, Sapele, Agbarha-Otor, Olomu, Evwreni and other environs have turned Ughelli to their hunting ground for robbing, killing and kidnapping of victims whom they hide in the forest of their communities waiting for ransom to be paid.
The hoodlums lay ambush in Ughelli as from 8.00 pm pouncing on their victims whom they forcefully moved away without assistant from the police or vigilant group. Their targets are those driving exotic cars. They also strike on drinking and car wash joints acting like security agents demanding for the owners of the exotic cars. Once you identify yourself as one of the owners of the parked exotic cars you are whisked into the car and moved to the forest to make demand for ransom. Some died in the process, while those who survived it go for thanks giving in the Church.
Urhobotoday learnt that no fewer than six people were whisked away in one particular day in Ughelli. Beside assassination has become the order of the day. Within three months four prominent people were assassinated in Ughelli. The irony of the situation is that the police and vigilantes in Ughelli are helpless about the situation. They are only good at raiding innocent people under the guise of wondering whom they later collect money from and released. The people of the community are appealing to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase to do something about by posting crack police team to the community.
Reports said no fewer than three lawyers and twin brothers have been kidnapped in the community within a short time. They include John Okoriko, Fred Erha, a serving councilor in Ethiope East and Naira Idogwu. The others who are twin brothers are Wilson Odibo and Ayo Odibo, while the manager of a popular filling station (name withheld) along the Port Harcourt road was also kidnapped and killed after paying N3 million ransom. The list are endless.
Residents of the community have also expressed serious doubt over police protection on the live and property of its citizens, describing the police as helpless in this menace of robbery and kidnapping in the area.
The residents said both indigenes and non-indigenes now sleep with their eyes half closed while movement has been restricted in the busy community, following the incessant robbery and kidnapping in the area without security measures to calm the situation.
Meanwhile, families of three friends allegedly murdered by a team of police and vigilante team in Ekredjebo, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State have been accused of plotting to frustrate the investigation of the incident.
The families of the deceased had lamented that the killers of their children were still moving around, with the confidence that nothing was happening, as if they are untouchable.