Four officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), including a pregnant woman who travelled to Imo State to commiserate with the family of a colleague who was killed last week, have been kidnapped.
The pregnant official was however released on compassionate grounds, after a N16 million ransom was demanded.
Daily Champion gathered that the four officials were abducted near Umuahia, Abia State capital, on Port Harcourt-Enugu Expressway and taken to an unknown destination.
The killed official, identified as Emeka Obi, of NAFDAC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, who was recently transferred from the Warri, Delta State office, travelled to his village in Imo State over the weekend and was expected back in the office last Monday.
It was learnt that when Obi, an assistant chief regulatory officer could not contact his family three days after he travelled, the family became suspicious and reported the matter to NAFDAC.
This prompted a search party which led to the discovery of his corpse in a room. His death was said not to be natural.
Deputy Director, Public Relations and Protocol of NAFDAC, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh, who confirmed the incident, described it as shocking, adding that the police authorities had been contacted over it.
Contacted, Spokesperson of Rivers State Police Command, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, said she needed some time to get the details.
Meanwhile, former Head of State, Gen. Mohammed Buhari(rtd) yesterday said incessant cases of kidnapping and other forms of murder across the country can't stop unless the Federal Government carried out total and complete disbarment of citizens through out the country.
Buhari said, there is a lot of firearms in circulation, mostly in the hands of unauthorized persons, saying that government should embark on a scheme that would allow such illegal arms to be surrendered within three months especially, as the nation approaches 2011 general elections.
This was as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo blamed commercial banks and telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria over the increasing cases of kidnappings and assassinations.
The duo spoke at the investiture and book Launch organized by the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) Thursday ,at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers Abuja, where the former Head of State was conferred with an award as the Grand Patron of the Associations.
Buhari who insisted that the amnesty deal in the Niger Delta which is reminiscent of disbarment must be extended to other parts of the country to cease arms in unauthorized hands, said until this is done, the evil of kidnapping and assassination will continue unabated.
Commenting on the leave which the presidency gave to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Buhari said what INEC needs is a complete over- hauling not just the sack on Iwu.
While commending the police, Buhari, however, urged the leadership of the force to set up a specialized squad that would be specifically trained on countering kidnapping adoption as other forms of crime.
Relevant LinksOnovo said the greatest challenge facing the police and other securities organisations in the country was kidnapping, abduction as well as trans-national crimes.
While blaming banks and communication firms in the country, Onovo revealed that all sim-cards being produced and used by individuals in Nigeria are not registered therefore, making it difficult for the police to trace kidnappers.
He also accused banks of frustrating the work of the force regarding kidnapping and adoption of both foreigners and Nigeria citizens.
He said the police had on several occasions advised banks to inscribe a secret mark on the money to be given to kidnappers but regretted that several meetings between the police authorities, banks, and telecom firms failed.
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