By Ozioruva Aliu

A group, Concerned Sons and Daughters the Riverine Area in Edo State, which says it cuts across the five clans in the state, namely Okomu, Furupagha, Egbema, Gbaran, and Olodiama, on Sunday raised an alarm over the resurgence of kidnapping in the areas.

They claimed that a woman was recently kidnapped around the Ekheuan area, and she was allegedly made to pay N55 million before she was released they also claimed that her abductors allegedly raped her while she was in their custody.

But when contacted, Okubo denied the allegation, saying he is a crime fighter and not a criminal just as he said he also heard of kidnapping, but he is not part of it and did not send anybody to commit any crime.

The group, in a statement by its coordinator, Hon. Godstime Ogidigba, Vice Coordinator Olu Piriye and Spokesperson, Comrade Daniel Ezekiel, accused Okunbor of starting kidnapping in the state in 2007 before he embraced amnesty and that it was the Ijaw leaders who also made the former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, appoint him as an aide on waterways security.

They said several petitions were written against Okubo, but he refused to honour the police invitation.

“As the voice of the riverine area, we raised the alarm to the immediate past government and security agencies about the level of atrocious acts of Robert and his boys.

“Having failed to honour a series of invitation letters, the then Commissioner of Police, Dankwara Mohammed directed his officers to arrest him, which led to Robert and his boys running out of the state for a year and six months. We make bold to say that riverine experienced total peace, law, security and order while he and his boys were away, but as soon as this government came on board, hell has been let loose again with return of all manners of crimes.”

But Okubo told Vanguard on the phone, “First, of all, that body does not exist. I am a crime fighter and not someone who commits a crime. I heard of the kidnaps, and I am aware people have been arrested. Did they mention my name?

“If I am involved in crime, will security agencies not know in this age of technology?

“These same people have been running away from security agencies, and I have petitioned them to the DSS for these false allegations. They used the past administration to harass me and other leaders of the community because I am a member of the APC, and what they want to do again is to tarnish my image before the new government, and I will not allow it. I am not involved in any criminal activity.

Vanguard News