Police rescue boy from abductors

OPERATIVES of the Rivers State Police Command have rescued an 11-year-old boy identified as Chisom Okafor from four men suspected to be ritual killers.

Chisom’s abductors had taken him away on May 1, 2016 after a friend to his father, Okorie, sent him on an errand. Chisom, who hails from Ndimoko community in Anambra State, was said to have be whisked away by his abductors in a Sport Utility Vehicle.

Chisom, who could not express himself clearly in English Language, said he was blindfolded up to a point by his captors and was only left to go when the police stop the vehicle conveying him.

Explaining that he was a son of a carpenter, Chisom said his father had a week before his abduction taken him to Okorie to learn a trade.

He said, “I was taken away by four men from Ndimoko. I am Chisom from Ndimoko in Anambra State. They blindfolded me and I did not know where I was. They removed the blindfold when they got to police checkpoint.

“They drove away after I got down from the vehicle when the police said they wanted to search the vehicle. The police are still looking for how they can take me to my parents,” Chisom said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad, told newsmen that Chisom was rescued by policemen who were on a stop-and-search on Eliozu Bridge in Port Harcourt.

Muhammad said the four suspects escaped after the boy (Chisom) came down first on the directive by the police that occupants of the vehicle should come down for a thorough search of the SUV.

“It was at that point that the suspects left the boy behind and zoomed off. After several questions, the boy made us to realise that he was kidnapped by suspected ritualists.

“We suspect the four men are ritualists because the father of the boy is just a carpenter. We have intensified investigation to ensure we get those behind the boys kidnap.

“We are also working towards locating the community of the boy with a view to reuniting him with his parents,” the state Police spokesman said.

Muhammad urged the parents and other relatives of Chisom not to panic, adding that the police was making arrangement to locate the victim’s community after his rescue.