Former senator raises alarm over kidnap, assassination threat

The immediate past senator who represented the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Otu, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, alleging that there is a plan to employ the services of kidnappers and militants to kidnap him or get him eliminated over political matters.

In the petition, Otu alleged that information at his disposal was that some Niger Delta militants, and assassins from Nasarawa State, were those contacted to execute the deadly plot against him.

Otu asked the IG to investigate the allegation, and ensure that he is given the necessary protection so as not to be harmed or killed by those allegedly planning to eliminate him over politics.

The petition sent through Otu’s counsel, Utum Eteng, dated, titled, ‘Threats to the Life of Senator Prince Bassey E. Otu from Militants and Kidnappers from the Niger Delta and Paid Assassins from Nasarawa State’, read, “We write to you as Solicitors to Senator (Prince) Bassey E. Otu former Senator representing the people of the southern senatorial district of the Cross River State in the 7th senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2011-2015).

“We are writing the petition to you on his behalf to promptly raise an alarm with a view to investigate and intervene in the circumstances. 

“Sir, though our client suspects no one particular person, he has ears to the ground and has strong suspicion, where such wicked plans may be coming from. In the circumstances, our client may wish to appeal to you to employ the privilege of your office to investigate and possibly protect him from any form of harm.

“We also pray you heed our plea and in time too as a stitch in time saves nine,” the petition read.

The petition stated further that on March 23, this year, after attending a business meeting in Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Otu was accosted by a young man who allegedly gave him the information about the plot.

“He then inrmed our client of an on-going plan to kidnap and keep for as long as the sponsors who promised to pay N40 million for the assignment may wish. Before now the man sounded a caveat that Julius Ceaser was murdered in the Capital because he refused to listen to the warning of a Roman citizen about an impending plan against him, dismissing him as commoner.

“He also reminded our client of a similar plan against him in 2010 which was hatched in Rivers State but aborted by the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, who reported the incident to the Cross River State Police, consequent upon which some elements were invited by the Police in Calabar. This aspect of his narrative is real. Our client was then informed that some political elements from his senatorial district are worried about his renewed interest in the senate , and have therefore contacted a group of militants in the Niger Delta to kidnap him with a view to keeping him for as long as possible even when a ransom is paid. If this fails , the alternative plan, our client was told, a group of hired assassins has been contacted in Nasarawa State to kidnap and do away with him for a fee of N5 million”, the petition stated.  

He stated that after reeling out the plan, the young man, who claimed to have come from Calabar South Local Government Area, warned him to take the information seriously.

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