The police claim the released of the nursing mother by her abductors was solely due to⁰ pressure it mounted on them
Chidiebere Onyia, a reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), who was abducted on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by gunmen, has regained her freedom.
The nursing mother was said to have been released by her abductors in the early hours of Sunday.
Mrs Onyia was abducted on Tuesday evening at Woji while driving home after work.
The police spokesperson in the state, Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed Mrs Onyia’s release in a statement on Sunday, described her release as a “Valentine gift to her family.”
“The Rivers Police Command is pleased to announce the unconditional release of Chidiebere Onyia, a reporter with NTA Port Harcourt, who was kidnapped last week.
“Her release was made possible due to the intense pressure mounted by the command as directed by the authority.
“Her abductors on seeing the red flag and oblivious of the fact that we were closing in on them, however, bowed to the seeming pressure and abandoned her, from where she was sighted and rescued.
“She is currently receiving medical attention and will be debriefed and released to reunite with her waiting family,” Mr Omoni, a superintendent of police, stated.
He said at the time of her abduction, the police had assured her family, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and civil society organisations that the police would secure her early release.
Some Nigerians on social media however expressed disbelief over this account given by the Police with some tagging it #loriiro.
Lukman Shaibu said on his facebook page that the Police in Nigeria has never admitted payment of ransom on kidnapped victims even though events later usually show otherwise.
“Kidnapping has continued to be seen as a lucrative business because of ransom running into millions of naira that exchanges hands.
“The claim by the Police that the NTA reporter was released without any ransom is always the claim on all victims and how this can’t be tagged #loriiro based on several other experiences is what I can’t explain,” he said.
