More than two weeks after abducting passengers from a boat along the Bille and Port Harcourt waterways, kidnappers have finally revealed their ransom demand. The criminal syndicate is reportedly insisting on a staggering sum of one hundred million naira before releasing their victims.
Confirming the development to our correspondent, Monica Ogwa, the immediate past Bille Kingdom Youth President, Dr. Osaki Miller, expressed disbelief over the kidnappers’ demands. “I do not know where the families of the victims will get such an amount,” he said, highlighting the financial challenge faced by the victims’ families.
Dr. Osaki Miller has forwarded the kidnappers’ ransom demand to the attention of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, urging swift intervention.
Meanwhile, Fibite Bibi, a former Chairman of the Bille Community, disclosed that one of the kidnapped victims—a uniformed man—has been released. Bibi expressed sadness that the kidnappers chose to free the security personnel while still holding teenagers and women, raising concerns about the safety of other hostages and the ongoing threat in the waterways.
As the community and authorities grapple with the situation, the families of the victims and local leaders are calling for urgent action to secure the release of all abductees and bring the criminals to justice. The incident underscores the persistent security challenges along the waterways in Rivers State and the need for heightened security measures to prevent further kidnappings.
