Commission warns firms, others of unsolicited calls for contracts

October 29, 2016 10:32 AM

Operatives of the NSCDC rescue three victims kidnapped through contract scam in Rivers state.

Officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers State Command has urged firms and members of the public to

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The call was made by the NSCDC commandant in the state, Mrs Helen Amakiri, on Thursday, October 27, while handing over three victims of kidnap to their organisation, Jofad Global Services.

The victims identified as Okelezo Wilfred, Roland Ukojevo, and Israel Isawoele, who are staffs of the organisation, were reportedly kidnapped after showing up in Ahoada, Rivers State for a contract job which never existed, Punch reports.

The victims were held in the kidnapper's den for several days before operatives of the NSCDC rescued them.

They were reportedly admitted for treatment at the command's medical unit after spending 12 days in captivity.

Speaking in an interview with Southern City News on Thursday, Mrs Amakiri said that the kidnappers have developed a new method of kidnapping by luring victims with text messages or phone calls, inviting them for contract jobs.

Amakiri stated that although times are hard, job seekers should avoid answering to such unsolicited invites as it could be kidnappers attempting to lead them into a trap.

“They are contractors from Warri, in Delta State. Someone called them from Rivers State that they had a contract for them in Rivers and so, the manager, site engineer and two others were mandated by their company to come down to Rivers State to see and negotiate how the job would be done.

“Unfortunately, they did not know that it was a set up by the kidnappers. There was no contract; it was just a scam to get them out of Delta State and get them kidnapped.

“My advice to members of the public is that they should not just depend on calls. There should be a form of documentation. Yes, it is good to look for jobs, don’t just engage in transactions based on phone calls alone, especially when you don’t know the person that made the phone call,” she said.

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Thanking the NSCDC for rescuing them, Mr Okelezo Wilfred, the General Manager of the Delta State-based construction firm who was one of the victims, said the lesson was well learnt and they would no longer be embarking on such business trips.