BY WAHAB ABDULLAH
LAGOS—One month after his 82-year-old father, Chief Lawrence Oragwu, was kidnapped at Agulu, Anambra State, a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Nnamdi Oragwu, has sent  a Save Our Soul, SOS, message to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim, and state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to locate his whereabout.

In separate petitions to Ringim and Obi, Mr Oragwu said neither the kidnappers nor his father had been found since June 2 when he was abducted. He, therefore, pleaded that they should use their good offices to intervene by involving relevant security agencies to work towards securing his father’s release.

Chief Oragwu, the traditional ruler of Adazi Nnukwu, Anambra State, was kidnapped at Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area, of  Anambra State June 2.

According to him, the octogenarian went to Madonna Catholic Church, Agulu, and while driving out, a Sports Utility Vehicle drove in front of him, blocked his way as four heavily armed men alighted and pushed him into their own vehicle and drove off.

He said the kidnappers pushed away his driver who eventually lodged a complaint at Neni Police Station, Neni, and State Police Headquarters in Awka.

The lawyer said it was disheartening that close to a month after the kidnap, there had been no reported progress with investigations into the incident.

“No information, whatsoever, has been received as to the whereabouts of my father and neither has there been any trace of his car,” he said.

The lawyer said his family got information about another individual who was abducted by the same gang on the same day but escaped after disarming the gang and running away with one of the guns, an AK47 riffle, which was discovered to have Nigerian Army inscription on it.

“Despite the available clues as to this heinous crime, there has been no serious investigation conducted by the police on this incident.

“If for nothing else, the fact that the recovered gun is supposedly an army gun gives a very good lead to follow, yet no serious pursuit of this lead has been conducted by the police. The government cannot remain silent and passive at this point when he requires your intervention to ensure the apprehension of the culprits and secure his freedom.

We cannot accept kidnapping as part of our normal life. You must rise to the challenge and rid our society of this vice”, he said

Chief Oragwu is presently a regent representing the traditional ruler who died recently. Before his retirement, he worked in the public service for 25 years, rising to the rank of Deputy Comptroller of Customs.