Gunmen Kidnap Man, Rape Four Women Along Benin Expressway

 

The festive is not just a time for celebration and happiness, it has now become a deadly time for perpetrating heinous crimes by evil minded persons.

 

According to the Punch, a four-man gang kidnapped a PUNCH correspondent, Nosa Akenzua, and raped four ladies on Saturday in Asaba.

 

The incident happened about 4.50p.m along Warri/Sapele/Benin Expressway while the victims were waiting to board a vehicle to Benin City. The gang drove an ash-coloured C-Class Mercedes Benz vehicle with registration number, AA 122 XL.

 

The report reveals that the victims, oblivious of the evil intention of the gang, agreed on a fare of N400 each and took the backseat of the vehicle. Trouble started when the driver of vehicle diverted from the expressway with an excuse to urinate.

 

As he pulled over, the occupant of the front seat, who was also a member of the gang pulled out a gun and ordered the victims into the bush. After robbing the victims their valuables, the evil gang asked the women to undress after which they mercilessly raped them.

 

Narrating his ordeal, Akenzua said, “When we got to the bush, they ordered us to lie on the ground and they started searching our bags where they removed N25,000 from my purse. Meanwhile, the four female victims were ordered to undress and they were raped. As this went on, I crawled to the road and shouted for help. Though some car owners pulled over to help transport me from the scene, none was willing to go with me to the bush to help the female victims because the kidnappers were armed.”

 

The state Police Public Relations officer Mrs. Celestina Kalu, when contacted, confirmed that the Sapele/Warri/Benin expressway had become a danger spot for travellers who prefer cheap transport fare and, advised them to patronise vehicles in authorised parks. She said the police had started monitoring activities of the hoodlums and that they would soon be brought to book.