General News of Sunday, 16 June 2019

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Kidnapped Takoradi girls may be in Europe – Col. Festus Aboagye

The three girls were kidnapped in Takoradi last year The three girls were kidnapped in Takoradi last year

A security analyst Col. Festus Boahen Aboagye (Rtd) believes the three kidnapped Takoradi girls may not be kept anywhere within the African continent.

He reckons that considering the length of time since the girls were kidnapped, they must have been transported to some country in Europe or elsewhere.

The teaching consultant at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC) was speaking on TV3 programme “the Key Point” Saturday while discussing the issue of recent kidnappings in the country.

"..What this guy has told us if it is true that the girls are somewhere in Eastern Nigeria...so getting hold of this Oji [suspect] if I’m right, it is a good lead it may be a break but whether he can actually lead us where the girls are…but I’m beginning to suspect that the girls may not even by this time be in Nigeria, they may have been flown somewhere into Europe. So we need to learn quite a number of serious lessons.”

A Sekondi High Court 2 in the Western Region on Wednesday, June 12 remanded the main brain who is alleged to have orchestrated the kidnapping of the three Takoradi girls – Priscilla Blessing Bentum, Ruthlove Quayeson and Priscilla Mantsebeah Koranchie – last year into prison custody.

The proceedings which lasted less than 30 minutes and presided over by Justice Hannah Taylor remanded John Oji, 29, who has also been identified as a Nigerian into prison custody to reappear on June 26th, 2019.

The state was represented by Adelaide Kobire Woode, from the Attorney General’s Department, who told the court that John Oji’s name has been mentioned by the first convict Samuel Wills in connection with the alleged kidnappings in the once peaceful city and was charged with conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping.

John Oji is reported to have been arrested in neighbouring Togo at his hideout last week.

Priscilla Blessing Bentum was first kidnapped on August 17th, 2018, while Ruthlove Quayeson was kidnapped on December 4, 2018 and Priscilla Mantsebeah Koranchie also kidnapped on December 21st, 2018.