Family, colleagues distraught over kidnap of Akindutire

Two weeks after the sudden disappearance and kidnap of Rivers State-based lawyer, Wole Akindutire, the class of 93/94 of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife is demanding his release, while calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to ensure his safe return.

Akindutire was kidnapped in Ada, Port Harcourt on Wednesday, March 16. He left for work on the said day and the last contact was with his younger brother, Tope Akindutire, before leaving for a clubhouse on his way home to watch a champion’s league match.

According to a family source, his car was later found around Ada-George/Elioparawon in Port Harcourt with no sign of any damage done to the car.

After the incidence, the family made a formal report to the Elioparawon police station, and several efforts about his disappearance have proven abortive, as nobody has been able to provide any information about his whereabouts.

According to the sister of the kidnapped, Tolu Kayode, “as at today, no ransom has been asked of the family or friend as the usual practice when someone is kidnapped, the initial directive from security operatives is that we should keep quiet, limit people we talk to because we don’t know who is who.

They believe it is a kidnap case and they believe that in a matter of time, the kidnappers will contact us but nothing has been heard so far. The security operatives have not been able to give us anything concrete so we are calling on the public to come to our aid.”

When asked if Akindutire was involved in political issues in Rivers State or is handling any high profile case to warrant his sudden disappearance, the younger brother, Tope, who works in his brother’s private law firm, told The Guardian that they have never been involved with political cases but suspects a particular case his brother is currently handling, which involves kidnapping.

Public Relations Officer of the OAU, Law faculty Alumni 93/94, Mr. Abdul Kehinde, said: “All we want is that he be released to us unharmed, we want him back reunited to his family. We enjoin friends, family and other well-meaning Nigerians in demanding for his immediate release unharmed. We urge the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to do all that is necessary to secure his release.”