By Ushang Ewa
More information is beginning to emerge on the tactic utilized by the daredevil kidnappers who abducted a monarch on Monday at Calabar South Local Government Area on Monday night.
81 Year old HH (Muri) Bassey Iyamba held in a wrapper by youths under the guidance of Police men after his rescue by kidnappers at his residence in Calabar South LGA. He spent less than 12 hours in the abductors den[/caption]
81-year old Muri Bassey Iyamba was abducted at his residence at Ambo by Idang street by a group of daredevil kidnappers.
Since the launch of combined security task team “Operation Akpakwu” in November 2020 by the Cross River State Government, the rate of kidnappings had reduced drastically until last week when some were gunned down.
And, sources within the elite unit of the task force team say the group operated in a way similar to a group of six who hail from Ijaw and operate with AK-47’s.
The swift response of Operation Akpakwu’s elite unit and community youths aided the Monarch’s rescue who was deceived by the abductors that they were buying chickens.
“The shot into the air for about 15 minutes to scare people away, after he was beaten when he told them that he had no money in the house when it dawned on him that those who claimed they were buying chickens were actually criminal” the source said.
Vanguard had reported that Muri Iyamba was kidnapped at about 9:00 pm Monday night and was rescued at about 4: 00 a.m on Tuesday morning.
“I want to thank God for helping us react swiftly in the rescue of the 81-year-old traditional ruler. Our response is an insight and a tip of the iceberg to the fact that we have started keeping our promise to Cross Riverians.
“We are sending a message to hoodlums and all criminals alike who want to test our strength or will that we are not going to relent until they are completely flushed out of the state.
“I want to thank the youths of the community Puff Adder, Operation Akpakwu, the Efut Division and most especially the Marine police who took the risk of securing the waterways ensuring the hoodlums did not escape through the waterways with their victim.
“Those who are desperate to cause a problem in Cross River should be rest assured that we will come after them no matter where they hide or how far they run by God’s grace,” Sikiru Akande, the Police Commissioner said.
Muri Iyamba said his abductors made him trek for about 2 miles in the dead of the night as they marched him deep into the creeks.
“Three men entered my compound pretending to be customers who came to buy chicken cause we run poultry not knowing they came to kidnap me, although I got information that they wanted to kidnap me one month ago and I restricted my movement, not knowing I was still a target.
“One of them entered my sitting room and started harassing me, he molested my wife and my children while asking me to bring the money, I told him I had no money in the house.
“They dragged me, hitting my head and face before succeeding to whisk me away, then they took me to the creek, where I trekked for more than a mile before we arrived at our destination because they took me from one camp to another.
“I must commend the police and the youths of my community, they did a lot of work to ensure my captors did not succeed in taking me across the water into the other side of the creek, I am must grateful because God used them to save my life.
“I am an 81-year-old man, those men would have killed me inside the creek were it not for the timely intervention of the police because they escaped when they discovered that the police was on their trail and were closing in on them.
“They left me alone in the creek, and when I started shouting I realized no one was with me, that was when police rescued me this early morning (Tuesday),” Muri Iyamba said.
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