Police Rescue Businessman From Kidnappers …Abia Uncovers 8,000 Ghost Workers

The Police Area
Commander in Aba, Abia  State, ACP  Rabiu Dayi,  told newsmen last Monday in Aba that the police smashed a gang of kidnappers terrorising Aba and rescued a businessman.
Dayi said “We called you up this morning to show you another achievement we have recorded in crime fighting in Aba. Two kidnappers were gunned down by my men last week. Yesterday (Sunday) at about 10.a.m, a young businessman, whose name I will not mention for security reasons, went to No. 36 Omenazu Street, off Faulks Road, Aba to cut his hair. Four armed young men in a white-co loured Toyota Hilux van followed him into the· salon and kidnapped him at gun point. We were reliably informed that the man was taken to Nwakanmas compound at Amavo, Osisioma Ngwa local government area, along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway”.
The commander said that the police trailed the kidnappers to the compound which was alleged to be used by kidnappers as hideout adding that in an early morning gun battle between the police and the gang, one person was killed while some others escaped with bullet wounds.
Dayi said that the victim was rescued unhurt while the police recovered two AK 47 riffles with 49 rounds of ammunitions and two motorcycles from the hideout.
The commander called on residents of Abia and neighbouring states to be watchful and report anyone with bullet wounds to the nearest police station for further action.
The commander urged people to be careful and to inform the police if they found any vehicle trailing them and disclosed that members of the gang that robbed people at gunpoint at Iheorji in Aba South local government area had been caught and would be charged to court.
Dayi, however, said that many cases were being stalled in courts in Aba because people were afraid of testifying against criminals, and assured that those who testified in courts and volunteered information that would help to get judgments against criminals threatening the peace of the society, would get “full protection”.
In another development, the Abia Head of Service (HOS), Mr Godson Adiele, said on Monday that no fewer than 8,000 ghost workers were recently uncovered in the state and local government public services.
Adiele said this in Umuahia, when he briefed newsmen on the proposed civic reception being organised by workers in the state in honour of Governor Theodore Orji.
He said the ghost workers were uncovered when his office adopted the biometric system to audit workers on state government payroll.
He told newsmen that no fewer than 5 000 ghost workers  were uncovered in the state civil service, while 3,000 others were from the local governments.
The head of service said the findings had helped the government to save money previously paid to non-existent workers.