- As security operatives rescue abducted victims in native doctor’s house
As security challenges continue to unsettle Anambra State, residents of the state have told Governor Chukwuma Soludo on how some notorious kidnappers disguise themselves as herbalists in order to evade arrest.
They asked the governor to come up with stiff regulations for those practicing native medicine, arguing that most shrines and houses built by herbalists are used as den for kidnappers.
Insecurity has escalated in Anambra State with many people being abducted while others were assassinated by unknown gunmen.
Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the development, calling for urgent measures to address the menace.
The Spiritual Director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, expressed his disappointment and frustration with the state government’s handling of the security situation.
Obimma in his New Year message regretted the failed attempt by Anambra State securities to prevent the kidnapping of his fellow priest, Fr. Nonso that returned from abroad.
The cleric further criticized the government’s seeming inability to tackle the rising insecurity in the state, even as he called on prominent Anambra indigenes like, Authur Eze, Obi Jackson, Obi Cubana, Val Ozoigbo, Sen. Victor Umeh, Ada Umeoji, and Flavour, to take responsibility and work together to address the security challenges currently eating up the state.
While noting that building roads is not enough, Obimma urged Governor Soludo to utilise the security vote to provide adequate security for the people of Anambra State.
He warned that the government’s inaction on the security situation would have dire consequences and enjoined Anambra people to rise up and demand better from their leaders.
Meanwhile, a local security outfit, Oraifite Joint Security Group, has uncovered a make-shift apartment of a herbalist inside a bush in Oraifite community where victims of kidnapping are kept until their family members pay ransom.
The leader of the security group identified the herbalist as Muo Chukwuma Ndubuisi who is popularly known as Mmuo.
The chief security officer of the community disclosed that two persons were discovered in the apartment who claimed to have been abducted by some men working for Mmuo.
One of the victims, who identified himself as Gerald Ibe, explained how the kidnappers stormed his house after returning from the farm and took him away.
Ibe, who was tied and blindfolded, said, “They (kidnappers) came to my house at night after returning from my farm and blindfolded me.
They took me away to an unknown place. They took me on a motorcycle and later dropped me here (at the herbalist’s house). They asked me to call my family members to bring the sum of N100 million for them before they can release me.”
The CSO said that the herbalist fled immediately after his men invaded his apartment.
He said, “The home of a Dibia (herbalist) in Oraifite, Anambra State was busted by our local vigilante, leading to the rescue of a captive who was abducted from Ihiala. The family of the captive were being asked to pay N100 million, until the fateful day. We also saw another man there who also claimed to have been lured to the house by the herbalist. Mmuo, as the Dibia was identified, has since been on the run with his gang.”
However, some residents asked Governor Soludo to rein in those parading themselves as native doctors, especially those who have their shrines and houses inside the bush and interior communities.
For Ben Ideh, a resident of Oraifite community, “What our governor and other heads of security should know is that this kidnapping business is everywhere and some, in order to play safe, have suddenly turned to herbalists and relocated to bushes where they construct apartments and shrines.
“Most of them are kingpins of kidnapping gangs and the earlier the state government starts probing them, the better for us all.”
Another resident of Akwa, who simply identified himself as James, claimed that majority of traditional medicine men and women in Anambra State operate in desolated areas and communities that are in grassroots, therefore, giving them the leverage of committing crimes unhindered.
“This is a dire situation for us in Anambra State and we want the fight against killings and abductions in this state to be total. It won’t be a bad idea if the state government decides to take the census of herbalists and their locations so as to know those who are real and those who are impersonating, kidnapping and killing innocent people.
Our governor should act now,” he demanded.
