BY CHIDI NKWOPARA, Owerri

The story surrounding the kidnap of the Medical Director of Imo Specialist Hospital, Umuguma, Dr. Moses Amako, started like a fairy tale. The sad incident however generated serious anxiety among members of his immediate family, friends, colleagues and relations when after three days, the bread winner of the Amako family was neither seen nor released by his captors.

The anxiety stemmed largely from the fact that Dr. Amako was shot at several parts of his body and at point blank range by the hoodlums before being taken away. If for no other thing, the 11 holes created by the hot lead fired by the rampaging hoodlums was enough reason to create the panic.

Dr. Amako was joyfully cruising home with his wife Thursday, December 1, 2011, after a hard day’s work in the hospital. They were on their way home at about 7pm when suddenly, a white coloured Jeep dangerously overtook their Honda City car and forced them to a halt.

Confirming the ugly development to Crime Alert, a few days after the incident, Amako’s sister in-law, Mrs. Christie Oby Ndukwe, lamented that since Dr. Amako was picked up by the gang, he had not been traced and his captors had equally not reached the family in any way.

“The hoodlums opened fire on the tyres, as well as shot their victim on his leg before taking him away in the Jeep to an unknown destination”, Mrs. Ndukwe lamented.

Late Dr. Amako

What irked the woman most was that her brother in-law’s captors neither made their intentions known nor made any contact with members of the Amako family days after they struck.

While saying that her brother in-law “operates from his country home, Ohii, Owerri West local government area of Imo State, Mrs. Ndukwe also expressed reservations about the health of the captive.

She urged those behind the kidnap to “please release the hapless doctor unconditionally to his family considering his contributions towards saving lives. While we pray that he returns home safely, we also wish to state that his kidnap may have been masterminded by those who succeeded in removing him from his position without due process”, Mrs. Ndukwe stated.

This passionate appeal did not make the required impact on the psyche of the suspected assassins as they kept their victim, who was due to honorably retire from the civil service in February 2012, for six days.

In an obvious ploy to make the scenario look like pure kidnap, Amako’s captors initially asked for N120 million ransom. They later scaled the staggering figure down to N30 million but Crime Alert later learnt that the family paid about N30m as ransom to the dreaded assassins before they released their victim.

The release came a little too late because medical intervention did not come Dr. Amako’s way earlier. Today, Amako is dead! He died Saturday, December 10, 2011, at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, at about 9.30pm.

The late doctor’s friends, relations and colleagues have refused to accept that the entire thing border on mere kidnap. They strongly believe it was a well crafted assassination.

“The incident is not a mere kidnap. We are suspecting assassination. Owing to the violent nature of the incident, it sums up to assassination. Since the upgrade of General Hospital, Umuguma to a specialist hospital, some government officials have been eying the position”, a family member told Crime Alert.

The family source also said: “On several occasions, Dr. Amako had been threatened to vacate the position but the move was resisted by staff of the hospital. So, they resorted to this sordid kidnap that culminated to his untimely death, to ensure that Dr. Amako vacates the office”.

Continuing, the family member recalled when their bread winner was kidnapped; he was not only battered by his captors but also stayed for a week without eating. “Dr. Amako sustained gunshot wounds at about three or four points. His left leg was hit while the sole of his right leg was simply shattered. We regret the death of Dr. Moses Amako. He was a fine medical officer, a loving husband, philanthropist and would be missed by the entire Ohii community and Imo State at large”.

Another family source who craved for anonymity intimated Crime Alert that before the doctor was kidnapped, he had some confrontation with some people in the hospital over plans by the Rochas Okocha led government to privatize the hospital.

According to him, “in fact, while he was in the camp of the kidnappers, he overheard them speaking in french language that they should just collect whatever was paid to them as ransom since they were specifically asked to assassinate him. His captors reportedly made this confession little knowing that their victim understands french language.”

One refrain on the lips of all persons that talked to Crime Alert on the man’s death is whether the security agents will ever succeed in unmasking the people behind this sordid act and bring them to book.

Meanwhile, the people of Ohii community yesterday demonstrated at the Government House, Owerri to register their displeasure over the cruel demise of Dr. Moses Amako. The protest was led by the Vice President of Ohii Community Development Union, ODU, Mr. Vincent Ozuzu, President of Ohii Women’s Wing, Mrs. Cecilia Anumodu and Youth Leader, Mr. Bright Anukoro.

As at the time of protest, both the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha and his deputy, were not around to receive them. The State Chief Security officer who addressed them told them that the State Governor had been intimated about his death and was not happy about the incident. He promised that the state government will do all in his power to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.