- As Bomb explosion injures 29; man stabs eight in US
The kidnappers of four residents of Lekki Gardens in Isheri, a border community between Lagos and Ogun states, weekend, demanded N1.2 billion ransom for their release.
Vanguard gathered that they made contacts with family members of the victims, suspected to be held hostage in the creeks, yesterday.
The victims, Mr. Kennedy Ucheagwu, Dr. Omololu, Bello and Mr. Esang, said to be landlords at Oshorun Heritage Estate, had gone for an aerobic section, Saturday, when eight masked gunmen in military camouflage intercepted them, shooting sporadically.
While others managed to escape, same could not be said for the victims, as they were whisked away in boats through the waterways.
One of the relatives of the abducted men, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard yesterday: “I got a call very early yesterday, where the unknown caller informed that he was one of the kidnappers that took our people away on Saturday. “He warned that in our interest and for the safety of the victims, we should not contact the police or try to play smart.
“He said anything of such would lead to the death of our people. He did not allow me to speak with my person, as he claimed that he was sleeping. “He said that we should get N1.2 billion before they would be released.
He also told me to meet with relatives of the other people. He called back about four hours later to find out if the money was ready. “He also asked if I had my own N300 million for the release my relation. I begged him to accept N200,000, as that was the only money we could afford, except he wants us to go and start borrowing or sell our property.
“But the line went dead at that point. Where do we get that kind of money at this time? My worry is that my relative is hypertensive.”
Meanwhile, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, Abdulmajid Ali, has deployed a Tactical Rescue Team to rescue the victims. Alli explained that the team comprised police operatives and ICT experts from the Lagos and Ogun states commands, as well as those from the Force headquarters, Abuja.
The team, according to Ali, who condemned the act, had been directed to rescue the victims unhurt as well as arrest perpetrators of the act.
He assured the affected relatives and residents of the area of timely and successful rescue operation, adding that police had clues.
Ali also appealed to relations of the victims to support police with useful information that would enhance the rescue operation, adding that he was working with the Commissioners of Police in Lagos and Ogun states and other stakeholders to ensure the rescue of the victims and to sustain the fight against crimes within the commands.
In the meantime, no fewer than 29 persons were injured in a bomb blast which occurred in the neighbourhood of Chelsea in Manhattan in New York, United States.
The bomb explosion occurred around 1am on Sunday outside a residence for blind people on West 23rd Street, Chelsea.
According to the Sky News, the New York State authorities have deployed about 1,000 state policemen and national guard troops, vowing to apprehend the perpetrators of the bomb attack.
Although officials have described the act as a terrorist attack, there is no evidence yet to connect it to international terrorism.
Hours earlier, a bomb blast had rocked a New Jersey charity, run in aid of US Marines and sailors. Witnesses said the blast, at about 8.30pm on Saturday, blew out the windows of buildings and sent debris flying across the area.
The BBC reports that all 29 injured victims had been discharged from the hospital.
The police have started combing the area with sniffer dogs, following the blast in Chelsea, as a second suspected device, which failed to detonate, has been recovered.
The New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, said the policemen would be placed at bus and subway stations as well as airports as a precaution.
He vowed that whoever planted the devices would be found and brought to justice but added there was “no reason to believe there is any further immediate threat.”
Cuomo said the explosion caused significant damage to nearby properties but said “we were very lucky there were no fatalities.”
Initial investigations suggest that the Chelsea explosion, described as “deafening,” occurred inside a large bin or a construction toolbox.
Pictures from the scene showed a twisted and crumpled black metal box.
The second device – a pressure cooker connected to a mobile phone with wires attached – had been placed in a plastic bag inside a bin.
According to the CNN, a piece of paper with writing on it was also found next to it. It was later removed by bomb disposal teams using a remote-controlled robot.
Following the explosion, Facebook activated its safety check service that lets users notify friends and family that they are safe.
It was the first time it had been used in New York.
A Joint Terrorism Task Force, made up of different law enforcement agencies, has been called in to investigate, indicating the authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a terror link.
Surveillance video from businesses in the area will be examined by investigators hunting for clues to the explosion.
According to a White House official, President Barack Obama has been briefed on the situation, and the two presidential candidates have also responded to the explosion.
Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, said the nation needed to support its emergency workers and “pray for the victims.”
She added, “We have to let this investigation unfold.”
However, her Republican rival, Donald Trump, was more forthright, saying, “I must tell you that just before I got off the plane, a bomb went off in New York, and nobody knows what’s going on. But boy, we are living in a time – we better get very tough, folks.
“We better get very, very tough. It’s a terrible thing that’s going on in our world, in our country and we are going to get tough and smart and vigilant.”
Meanwhile, no fewer than eight people have been injured in a stabbing attack at a shopping mall in the US state of Minnesota, before the suspected attacker was shot dead by police.
According to the BBC, the attack happened in St. Cloud, 110km north-west of Minneapolis.
The suspected attacker reportedly made references to Allah before he was killed.
The Islamic State said he was one of their “soldiers.”
None of the injuries suffered by the victims was life-threatening, the local police said.
Vanguard with additional report from Punch
