ATTENTION: Suspected kidnappers use Abati’s name to lure Igbo youths to Abuja

Twelve Igbo youth leaders lured into Abuja by kidnappers who disguised as Special Adviser to the President on Media Dr. Reuben Abati, relived their ordeal yesterday.

The National Secetary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, who led the group to the journey, told our reporter: " The circumstances that led to the incident are bizarre and shocking. Somebody who claimed to be Dr Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to Mr President on Media, invited us to meet with Mr President on Thursday April 11, by 4.00pm.

"The so-called Reuben Abati purported that Mr President wished to dialogue with Igbo youth leaders having done so with the Arewa and Yoruba youth leaders . We travelled to Abuja on Wednesday April 10, after clearing with some of our elders.

"In Abuja , the representatives of the so-called Abati lodged us in a hotel at Gwagwalada. In the morning of Thursday April 11, three vehicles came to the hotel to purportedly take the youths leaders to Aso Rock. But instead of heading for the Villa, the vehicles sped off to Suleja."

The youth leaders, he said, querried the driver on the destination and argument ensued between them and their "captors" along the way.

While the argument was on, they ran into security men at a checkpoint.

"Rather than stop, the drivers veered off into the bush and abandoned us and the vehicles. We had to trek back to the checkpoint and narrated our ordeal to the security agents," said Isiguzoro.

The security men went into the bush where they recovered and towed the vehicles to their base. The police in Abuja, according to Isiguzoro, are investigating the incident.

"Nobody knows the intentions of the so-called 'Reuben Abati' but it is suspected that it was a set up to wipe out some Igbo youth leaders.

The real Reuben Abati should take up the matter immediately as what happened showed that some people have been impersonating him," the youth leaders said.

Dr. Abati said last night. "They have been doing that. I tell people to report to the police. Even last year, a man was convicted for using my name to get a job. The man said he was desperate. People open twitter accounts, bank accounts in my name. The public should be vigilant. I'm not the only person; they do it to many people in government.

"I don't do contracts; I'm an intellectual and I don't invite people to see the President.

"God has exposed these people who want to tarnish my hard earned reputation.

(THE NATION)
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN