Kidnapped company manager James Obriki freed by Task Force in Delta State

On 29 June, the Anti-Kidnapping Task Force of the Delta Waterways Security Committee (DWSC), stormed the hideout of a kidnap gang at Samagidi in Eku  community, Delta State, and  rescued a kidnap victim, Mr. James Onosia Obriki.

Obriki, based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is the Country Manager of Saybolt Limited, a subsidiary of the petroleum services company, Core Laboratories. He was ambushed and abducted by gunmen on 24 June, while driving his car on Airport Road, Warri.

Reports say tipped-off by undisclosed persons, the Anti-kidnapping Task Force, comprising policemen and DWSC members, arrested some members of the kidnappers’ families. Chats with the arrested persons yielded some good information on the movements and activities of the kidnappers. Armed with that information, the Task Force was able to trail the kidnappers to their hideout.

However, as the Task Force closed in on the hideout, the kidnappers abandoned their captive and fled. Obriki was then freed by the task force.

It is not clear how much the kidnappers had been demanding as ransom, but the manner in which Obriki regained his freedom, means his family and employers did not have to pay any ransom for his freedom.