By Daniel Edu
Mrs. Constance Ziagadina, a businesswoman who was recently rescued from kidnappers by vigilantes in the Igbogoro community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, revealed that she narrowly escaped death at the hands of her abductors. Ziagadina disclosed that during the kidnapping ordeal, one of the kidnappers had almost taken her life, but was cautioned by his accomplice that their sponsor required her to be kept alive.
The incident unfolded when the vigilante group, known as Akpor OSPAC, promptly responded to a distress call alerting them about the attempted abduction by four kidnappers. As the kidnappers attempted to flee, their car encountered mechanical issues, leading to a confrontation with the vigilant group. In the ensuing confrontation, two of the kidnappers were killed, one was apprehended, and the other managed to escape.
Constance Ziagadina shared her experience with journalists in Port Harcourt, recounting the moment she was accosted by armed men while closing her shop. She recalled the terror of the situation, the beating she endured, and how her life was spared when the kidnapper was cautioned not to kill her by his colleague.
Her husband, Andy, also praised the vigilante group for their prompt response and action that prevented a tragedy. The OSPAC team managed to intercept the kidnappers and neutralize two of them.
The vice chairman of OSPAC in the local government area, Amadi David, confirmed the incident and mentioned that items belonging to the kidnappers were recovered. He detailed the interception and subsequent confrontation, leading to the arrest and demise of the kidnappers.
The Rivers State police command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, could not be reached for comment at the time of the report.
In a separate incident, a teacher named David Alonge was remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre after being accused of defiling a three-year-old female pupil. Alonge, a teacher at a private school, was charged with inserting his finger and his manhood into the child’s private parts. The court directed that he be remanded in custody until his proper arraignment at the State High Court, scheduled for September 6.