Four abducted NEMA staff released unharmed

Four abducted staff of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who were kidnapped last Tuesday in Obua-Adual Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, have regained freedom.

This was revealed in a statement by NEMA’s director of disaster risk reduction (DRR) on Wednesday.

According to him, the emergency workers, who were in the state to carry out an enumeration exercise, were successfully released unhurt.

Although one of the NEMA staff, Minafel Clever Ikisikpo, escaped after he was shot on the leg, the remaining four officials who were kidnapped and released are Julius Alunomoh, Damian Egwu, Olisa Ojukwu and Chidiebere Wendy, the only female staff.

Following their abduction last Thursday, the kidnappers demanded N40 million as a ransom for their victims. The agency however did not specify if the said sum was paid to secure their release.

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The statement read: “The most important thing now is not whether the ransom was paid or not. We are very delighted to see them back.

“Though they are hale and hearty on the surface, there is a need for them to undergo psychological assessments and counselling due to the trauma of been forcefully taken into hostage. We want them to be stabilized as soon as possible,” he said.

“Most of our staff and families had been on vigil. It was a very harrowing experience for all of us, but the Almighty God did not abandon us. We, therefore, give him a resounding glory,” Owan said.

Also, the national chairperson of Women Commission of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Hafsat Shuaibu commended the management of NEMA for the prompt response in ensuring the release of their staff.

“We must commend the management of NEMA for their diligence and prompt response to the plight of kidnapped staff. The incident cannot deter us from responding to disasters and emergency situations anywhere in the country because that is our professional calling.

“We nevertheless find it necessary to call on the government to approve our condition of service to cater for the nature of our jobs as we operate mostly in most difficult terrains attending to victims of disasters and emergencies.”

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