A Bini man, Anthony Aluyi yesterday (18th January, 2021) narrowly escaped, after being kidnapped by unknown gunmen who swooped on him at the popular Ramat Park, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City.
Eye witnesses told the Maritime First that Anthony Aluyi of No. 27 Omozogie Road, off Benin Agbor Road, Benin City, had just finished a political brainstorming meeting with some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Oredo Ward Youth Wing, when the assailants pounced on him.
One of the eye witnesses, Felix Osagie who expressed concern that the life of the victim’s brother, Efosa David Aluyi was similarly endangered years ago, said the abduction happened so quickly, as the assailants, while shooting sporadically, grabbed the popular youth leader and threw him inside a getaway car.
He further disclosed that local youths, assisted by nearby Vigilantes at the scene however, quickly mobilized and engaged the kidnappers in a shoot out that resulted in the kidnappers’ abandoning Aluyi; and take to their heels. However, one of the Vigilantes sustained very serious gun shot injury.
A source who spoke on conditions of anonymity, for fear of being targeted, stated that the kidnappers were either Cultists, most likely of the Vikings Confraternity, or Niger-Delta militants who needed the victim as a bait to get to his fleeing younger brother, over disaffection the brother had with them, years back at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“Aluyi was just lucky that traffic was heavy when the abduction took place.
“They made a bold attempt to escape with him, but traffic around the Ramat Bus-Park area was heavy; and that made it possible for the youths to mobilize and catch up with the car used, just some two or three miles away”, the informed source explained, stressing that the kidnappers’ actual reason was to take and keep their victim hostage, as ploy to identify the true details of his brother’s location; before demanding for ransom.
It was confirmed that during the shoot-out between the Kidnappers and the Vigilantes which ensued, one of the vigilantes was indeed shot, before the kidnappers escaped.
Investigation further revealed that
Police men were later deployed to the area; while the case was referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.
Though the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer PPRO said he was yet to be briefed, a Police Inspector who spoke on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to do so, confirmed it, saying investigation had resumed in earnest.
