Posted on: 12:50 Wed, 28 Sep 2016


Security operatives in the Rivers State Police Command on Monday rescued a corps member, Helen (surname withheld), who was abducted at the corpers lodge in Omademe, Ikwerre area of the state.

A group of unknown gunmen had stormed the residence of the corps members around 3am on Friday and whisked her away in an unmarked car.

The incident caused serious panic among corpers in the area, even as the community’s security group joined forces with the police to search for the victim.

Speaking with newsmen at the police division in Igwuruta (Ikwerre LGA), the victim said she was starved of food for all the three days she was held by the criminals.

Helen, who is from Kogi, said her abductors moved her from one location to the other throughout her stay in the bush.

“Three days ago (Friday), at about 3am, some armed men came into our lodge in Omademe in Ikwerre Local Government Area and took me away.

“I did not know exactly where they took me to. They (kidnappers) tortured me and for the three days that I was in the bush, I was not given anything to eat,” she stressed amid tears.

Helen, who was looking pale when she was rescued, has been taken to the hospital for treatment.

It was learnt that the kidnappers had earlier demanded N50m ransom before the police stormed their hideout and engaged them in a shootout.

Also, the immediate past caretaker committee chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Samuel Nwanosike, who spoke on the matter, said he alerted the police immediately he was informed about the abduction.

Mr. Nwanosike stated that the local security outfit in Ikwerre was mobilised to join the police in the search for Helen, even as he commended the brave effort of the security agents during the shootout with the kidnappers.

“The kidnappers abandoned their victim and ran away due to the superior firepower of the police.”