Five Expatriates Kidnapped By Militants In Calabar, Driver Killed (Graphic Photo)

According to reports, at least five expatriates and two Nigerians were on Wednesday kidnapped at the Idundu area of the Calabar-Oban Road by suspected militants.

The incident happened at about 6am when the foreigners and their Nigerian colleagues, working for MacMahon Construction Company, were on their way to work.

The construction firm is located at the Mfamosing Plant of the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited in the Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The company is said to be one of the major contracting firms to Lafarge Holcim, owners of UniCem.

The workers, who were conveyed in four MacMahon vehicles, had been escorted by a security pickup that had four armed policemen when they were attacked by the gunmen before the Idundu Bridge.

The armed police escort team could do nothing while the attack lasted.

One of the expatriates identified as Tim Croot, an Australian and the driver of one of the vehicles, identified as Henshaw, were said to have escaped, while another driver, Matthew, was killed in the process.

PUNCH Metro learnt from a reliable source that those kidnapped were Jack Countentz (Australia); Mark Gabberdy (Australia); Peter Zoutenbier (Australia), Wayne Smith (South Africa), Jamal Khan (New Zealand), Austin Enok (Nigeria) and a driver identified as Howel (Nigeria).

An eyewitness, Akan Akpan, said the kidnappers came down from the bridge where they had kept their boat’s engine running for almost an hour before taking the expatriates and the Nigerians away.

He said, “I was coming back from the farm this morning when the incident occurred. The kidnappers came down from the bridge, shot the driver of the vehicle and took the victims away through the river.

“The vehicles conveying the expatriates and the two Nigerians were abandoned by the roadside with the dead body of the driver. From all indications, it appeared like the expatriates were going to work at the Lafarge Holcim plant in Mfamosing.”

A statement issued by the Communications Officer of Lafarge, Viola Graham-Douglas, confirmed that the kidnapped expatriates were MacMahon contractors.

In a short message, Graham-Douglas said, “One of our contractors, MacMahon, has informed us that a security incident has occurred on the road from Calabar involving some of their employees. MacMahon is working with the security agencies to resolve the situation.”

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, has said the police are working with the Nigerian Navy to ensure that the victims are released safely.

“The police are aware of the matter. Five persons were kidnapped. They include two Australians, one South African and two Nigerians. The driver of the vehicle was shot dead. The police will ensure that the victims are released unharmed,” he assured.


Source: Punch

This is Evil!! Five Beheaded In Ahoada, Rivers State (See Graphic Photos)

This report says no fewer than nineteen persons have been killed in a cult clash in Idoha and Ulapata communities in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

PunchNg correspondent gathered that suspected Iceland and Greenlanders cult groups have been locked in a battle for supremacy in the area which led to the setting up of a vigilante group called Isakaba boys by the paramount ruler of the community to curb the activities of the cult gangs in the area.

In a fresh attack, it was revealed that suspected Greenlanders had on saturday wipe out a family of four persons and beheaded in Idoha community in the same Local Government Area who were later identified as member of the Iceland cult group in the area.

A source closed to the community who simply gave his name as NNAMDI told our correspondent that suspected Iceland cultists in a reprisal attack early hour of today laid siege to Ulafata community and allegedly killed the terrifying number of fifteen persons.

Also confirming the incident to Today FM correspondent, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, GRACE KOKO said that the command was aware of cult related war but that the number of casualties remain unknown for the moment, stressing that the command have started investigation.

In the meantime, the Ulapata community has been deserted after the killings following an alleged fresh letter issued to the community by one of the groups engage in another.

Meanwhile, also in Agba Ndele community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, a twenty-six year old boy was shot dead early hour of today by unknown gunmen.

It was gathered that before the murder of the twenty-six year man, he was a student of Igunatus Ajuru University of Education, year two in the department biology.