Suspected herders have kidnapped an eight-year-old girl, Mmesoma Olinya, in Agu-Amede community in Isi-Uzo council of Enugu State.
Mmeoma, daughter of the community’s Neighbourhood Watch leader, Sunday Olinya, popularly known as ‘Sunday Sharia Driver’, was snatched in her sleep early Sunday morning.
The hoodlums, numbering about seven, reportedly stormed Olinya’s house with AK-47 rifles to attack him but he escaped.
The hoodlums then snatched Nmesoma after ransacking the house and carting away some valuables.
Three weeks earlier, the Neighbourhood chief had told herders to steer clear of the community after cows reportedly destroyed a rice farm in the area.
Olinya told reporters yesterday that he reported the attack to the police.
“I was sleeping around 1am on Sunday morning when I heard bangs on the door. I saw two herdsmen with AK-47 rifles positioned to shoot. I rushed to the back door.
“I escaped through a window that had no burglar-proof,” he said.
Olinya said his family has established contact with the gunmen who demanded N15 million to release his daughter.
Police spokesman Daniel Ndukwe confirmed the attack, saying it was perpetrated by “yet-to-be identified armed hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers”.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in collaboration with the local hunters and vigilantes have arrested one Abdulkadir Doogo, 23, for allegedly attacking a vigilance group member with a machete.
The incident happened on Monday in Obbo-Ile, Ekiti council of the state, it was learnt.
Also, Chief Donatus Okereke, the Eze Ndigbo of Ifon in Ose council of Ondo State, has been abducted by gunmen.
The abduction took place at the spot where the Oluifon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi, was killed by gunmen.
Kidnapping cases have started recurring in the state since soldiers were withdrawn to the barracks in the state.
Some kidnappers in Army uniforms mounted a roadblock in Akure two weeks ago and abducted several persons to Kwara State where ransom was collected.
Okereke’s abduction took place on Monday morning while he was returning from a quarry site.
An Ifon community leader, Olaniyi Eni Olotu, who confirmed the abduction said empty bullet shells were found near the car driven by the chief.
Police spokesperson, Fumilayo Odunlami, confirmed the abduction.
