Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Fear of kidnapping affects Ndigbos Christmas travel

fears as citizens avoid Eastern Nigeria


There are believed to be over 30million Igbos in Nigeria and as many as about 5million living in the diaspora. Traditionally, Igbos both at home and abroad, always travel back to the East for Christmas in what has become an annual pilgrimage.

However, this year, the figures are reported to be down due to the incessant menace of kidnapping, which has become very rampant across the East lately, with wealthy and influential Nigerians being abducted in exchange for huge sums.

Over the last week, Nollywood actress, Nkiru Sylvanus and former Mr Nigeria, Kenneth Okolie were both kidnapped in Owerri and were only released after large ransoms were paid.

Apparently, the situation is so bad that luxury bus operators have been forced to reduced their fare.

In a typical sting operation, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) have picked up six of the men that abducted Prof. Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

It has now emerged that the Okonjo family paid a N40 million ransom for her release, but the suspects were arrested, as they tried to deposit N15million of the money.

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