Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, a city known for its tourist attractions and aquatic splendour, is fast becoming a haven of kidnappers and other forms of criminals.
In less than a week, the city has witnessed about four kidnap cases. The victims are: Dr Anthony Egbe, a lecturer at the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH); Mr Effiom Asuquo; Promise Edet and an unidentified pastor.
All these are happening just few weeks after the kidnap of the wife of Justice Ignatius Agube of the Court of Appeal, Mrs Ekwele Agube. Mrs Agube’s personal assistant, Gloria Mpama, was killed in the course of the kidnap operation.
The city has also recently witnessed other kidnap cases involving such victims as Mr Joe Offiong, a staff of UNICEM and another staff of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Dr Vivien Otu. While Mr Joe Offiong has regained his freedom after reportedly paying an undisclosed ransom, Dr Vivien Otu’s fate is still hanging in the balance.
In his reaction, the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Jimoh announced that the state police command has arrested 10 suspected kidnappers and many other criminals terrorising the state in the last five days.
The Police Commissioner promised to vigorously pursue all criminals in the state with a view to ensuing the security of lives and property of all residents. Disclosing further, the police chief said that among the criminals arrested, there were Nigerians and Cameroonians who took their victims to some forests in Cameroon.
Uzogara McDonald Tobechukwu.