Kidnappers in Rivers lure victims with job interviews

KIDNAPPERS in Rivers State have devised a new means of getting at their victims and making their families part with huge sums of money as ransoms.

It was gathered that kidnappers had begun to send text messages, inviting their victims for job interviews but they hold them hostage as soon as they turn up at the addresses given to them by the abductors.

A civil servant in the state, who simply identified himself as Joseph told Southern City News how a friend’s cousin was kidnapped after honouring an invitation for a job interview.

Joseph said in a text message sent to our correspondent, “Don’t honour any job interview invitation via sms if you did not apply for it. A family friend’s cousin got one of such sms and he attended the supposed interview only to be held hostage.

“His family was contacted and asked to pay N5m. As at yesterday (Saturday), the kidnappers told the family that they would accept N2.5 million, which the family cannot afford.

“The guys (kidnappers) are threatening to kill him (their victim) by today if the money is not paid latest today (Sunday).”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, told Southern City News that he would brief the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the State Police Command on the new development.

Omoni promised that the command would put measures in place to ensure that those behind the dastardly act were arrested and brought to book.