The state of insecurity in Akwa Ibom worsened today as kidnappers abducted Ms. Lakshmi Tombush, Head of the ExxonMobil-owned Pegasus Schools in Eket.
Ms. Tombush runs the elite, highly discriminatory Pegasus Schools, funded by ExxonMobil in Nigeria. ExxonMobil operates the highly lucrative Qua Iboe oil fields in Akwa Ibom, one of Nigeria’s richest oil producing states.
Ms. Tombush is an Indian national married to a Nigerian of Akwa Ibom origin. Her husband, an insider in ExxonMobil circles, had died recently. Until his death, he had overseen the disbursement of funds from the oil firm through the award of juicy contracts. He also ran several charities that were largely financed by the oil company in the guise of corporate investment in “social responsibility community projects.”
Saharareporters learned that the police orderly attached to Ms. Tombush as well as her driver were shot dead and abandoned in her car along Grace Bill Road in Eket.
Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen overtook and blocked Ms. Tombush’s car, abducted her and then sped off with her in their own car to an unknown destination. The kidnap happened in the early hours of Wednesday.
A police source told Saharareporters that eyewitness accounts said the kidnappers seemed irritated by the efforts of the policeman and driver to save their principal and shot them in the process.
Our police sources in Eket confirmed the incident, but said that the kidnappers were yet to make contact with the family of their hostage or to demand any ransom.
The remains of the murdered driver and police escort have been evacuated from the crime scene and deposited at a morgue in Eket.
A family member, who asked for anonymity, said the family was “shattered by news that Mrs. Tombush has been kidnapped.” He added that the motive of the kidnappers was not clear since they had not made any financial demands.
But two sources in Eket told Saharareporters that Ms. Tombush was known to be very highhanded in her dealings with staff of the Mobil School.
In addition to the Pegasus school, Ms. Tombush also runs an orphanage sponsored by ExxonMobil.
A source said that staff at the school and orphanage often complained that they are paid slave wages and made to work as if they were in concentration camps.
Ms. Tombush, a returnee from India, recently lost her mother. In a Facebook exchange only last week with her friend, Manju, she expressed frustration about the general insecurity in the South. "I am back to Eket and at work," she wrote, "Security here remains the same. When it comes to Sec we can only do so much and leave the rest to God."
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Posted: at 14-10-2010 07:53 AM (14 years ago) | Addicted Hero
luther4real at 14-10-2010 08:28 AM (14 years ago) (m)
Kidnappers again??
Posted: at 14-10-2010 08:28 AM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
eddybabs at 14-10-2010 10:40 AM (14 years ago) (m)
i just tire after reading... Heavenly father we need your intervention in Nigeria... God pls if it is our sin pls forgive us... cos this is going out of hand....
Posted: at 14-10-2010 10:40 AM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Chibarca at 14-10-2010 10:56 AM (14 years ago) (m)
I saw hell yestarday,while on my way to office,at about 8am i saw a crowd garthered on the road side,i went there to know what was goin on..there i saw a car parked on the road side,with two corps that was mercilessly shoot in it..those gunmen,were realy mean..however,today, is exactly 1month since they made away with onna l.g. Chairlady,leaving two of her excort dead in okon eket and were latter paid #100,000,000 ransom..these kidnapping stuff is geting out of hand in eket.the gorvernment should pls do something about it.
Posted: at 14-10-2010 10:56 AM (14 years ago) | Newbie
Since i av been hearing abt kidnapping in this our in secured country, i av never heard that they av caught them nt even one any day. Does it mean that they dnt catch them? So, hw will d kidnapping thing stop? God give the family of the victims the heart to bear d lost.
Posted: at 14-10-2010 01:17 PM (14 years ago) | Hero
Commonsense at 14-10-2010 01:43 PM (14 years ago) (m)
i am just sick and tired of this whole mess. kidnapping in the south, bomb in abuja, boko haram in the north, armed robbers controlling ijebu ode - ore - benin expressway. is it not time we go back to the roots and consult the oracle.
Posted: at 14-10-2010 01:43 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
aduramidayo at 14-10-2010 04:11 PM (14 years ago) (m)
i beg oooooooo for the sake of nigerians in india.pls let go of that woman ooooooooooooo. na beg we beg oooo.cos if they start to they kidnapp us for here e no go gud ooo
Posted: at 14-10-2010 04:11 PM (14 years ago) | Newbie
Commonsense at 14-10-2010 05:15 PM (14 years ago) (m)
Quote from: aduramidayo on 14-10-2010 04:11 PM
i beg oooooooo for the sake of nigerians in india.pls let go of that woman ooooooooooooo. na beg we beg oooo.cos if they start to they kidnapp us for here e no go gud ooo
wetin u de do for india, u no go find ya way?
Posted: at 14-10-2010 05:15 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
;)
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