Gunmen Kidnap Punchman, Rape Four Women

A four-man gang kidnapped a PUNCH
correspondent, Nosa Akenzua, and raped four ladies on Saturday in Asaba.

The incident happened about 4.50p.m along Warri/Sapele/Benin Expressway while the victims were waiting to board a vehicle to Benin City.

The gang drove an ash-coloured C-Class Mercedes Benz vehicle with registration number, AA 122 XL.

The victims, oblivious of the evil intention of the gang, agreed on a fare of N400 each and took the backseat of the vehicle. Trouble started when the driver of vehicle diverted from the expressway with an excuse to urinate.

As he pulled over, the occupant of the front seat, who was also a member of the gang pulled out a gun and ordered the victims into the bush.

According to our correspondent, the gang robbed the victims of their valuables.

Narrating his ordeal, Akenzua said, “When we got to the bush, they ordered us to lie on the ground and they started searching our bags where they removed N25,000 from my purse. Meanwhile, the four female victims were ordered to UnCloth and they were raped. As this went on, I crawled to the road and shouted for help. Though some car owners pulled over to help transport me from the scene, none was willing to go with me to the bush to help the female victims because the kidnappers were armed.”

On Christmas Eve, six travellers were kidnapped by a gang who disguised as transporters plying the route.

A victim, Vero Thomas, who spoke to our correspondent on her experience with the kidnappers, said, “I was a victim some weeks ago when three men in a red Toyota Corolla car, who claimed to be heading to Benin, asked me to pay N500 as fare. After Mossogar, they started behaving funny and I knew what they were up to. They shouted at me but I ignored their shout and tried to escape. They pulled over their car and pushed me into the bush. I sustained injuries but help came my way.”

The state Police Public Relations officer Mrs. Celestina Kalu, when contacted, confirmed that the Sapele/Warri/Benin expressway had become a danger spot for travellers who prefer cheap transport fare and, advised them to patronise vehicles in authorised parks. She said the police had started monitoring activities of the hoodlums and that they would soon be brought to book.