Ogona Anita
There was tension as one Mrs Esther, mother of two children and a patent medicine dealer at Rumuoro community in Ogbakiri, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state was kidnapped by ‘one chance’ robbers on Thursday,11th, September,2025 on transit to Choba while three hundred and nine thousand naira was collected as ransom.
Her husband’s family members in Rumuoro were thrown into confusion when the news of her kidnap and demand for ransom by the ‘one chance’ robbers filtered into the community.
In an interview with our reporter,Mrs Esther, the victim said
“I went to market,as I wanted to come back,I was at Ozuoba junction,I was looking for a vehicle,I now saw a Keke bus with two women and two men inside.The Keke bus said Choba Choba,I now entered.
” As I entered the vehicle,as they drove a distance,they closed the door and brought out guns and pointed at me.One of the woman brought out clothe and covered my face,that if I shout they will kill me.They forced me to open my phone ,they also collected all the money in my bag.
“They demanded one million naira,I was begging them.They said I should call who will send money to me or they will carry me go their centre and if they take me to their centre is five million I will pay.
“I called someone in the village and the peraon sent 103,000 naira including the POS person’s charge.
Another person sent 206,000 naira to the POS account details they gave the person.After the two separate money was sent to them, they were still insisting I call more people to send money but I told them,I don’t know anybody again.I was pleading when one of them, asked where I hail from and I said Akwaibom.The woman who asked me is an Akwaibom woman. she pleaded with them to let me go. On getting to Choba,close to a an eateries,they start driving slowly and asked me to jump down and I jumped down”.
The National Coordinator of Centre for Basic Rights Protection And Accountability Campaign,Prince Wiro responding to the incident said he was contacted by the family of the victim when she was still in captivity and he encouraged them to inform the Police but an hour later,they called that the woman has been released by her abductors.
Mr Wiro urged residents of the state to observe the vehicle they are entering and always take note of registration number of the commercial vehicle they are about to board and if possible send the registration number of the vehicle to their loved ones.
The Rights advocate equally urged the Police to intensify diligent stop and search operation in areas that have been identified as flash points for ‘one chance’ robbers in the state.
Mr Wiro added that he has further advised that the victim who is highly traumatized be taken to Police Division in charge of the area the incident occurred for a formal complaint after her release by her abductors.
