23 September 2013, Warri – Operatives of Department of State Services, DSS, have rescued a 51-year-old staff of Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Mr. Atoyebi Toyin, abducted last week.
Meanwhile, three of the kidnappers have been arrested in a forest in Osubi village, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.
Mr. Atoyebi, who is from Oro in Kwara State, narrated his experience at DSS’ office in Warri.
He said that he was accosted at 6:45pm last Monday in company of his wife and four children, close to their residence in Otokutu village, Udu Local Government Area of the state, by a gang of four armed men in his Acura Honda Jeep and taken to an unknown place.
He said that he was put in the booth of his car, while his wife and children were left to go home. But the wife then proceeded to report the incident at the office of the DSS in Warri, which promptly swung into action the next day and rescued him after a fierce shoot-out with the kidnappers at a notorious forest in Osubi village, Okpe council.
He added that three of the abductors were apprehended, while one escaped with bullet wounds. He said a cut-to-size locally-made gun was recovered from them.
Atoyebi said that his car key was with one of the kidnappers, who handed it over to the security personnel and told them where the jeep was parked.
Atoyebi said before rescue came his way, he was moved to three locations, while blindfolded.
Atoyebi added that he was kept in the forest without cover for the whole night, while a ransom of N10 million was made to the wife and family members, adding that they were threatening to kill him if the money was not brought immediately before security operatives swooped on them.
– Emma Arubi, Vanguard
