News Report: Traffic Agency Official Kidnapped In Port Harcourt

One Ms Cleverline Brown, an official of the Rivers State Traffic Management Authority (TIMARIV), was kidnapped in Port Harcourt yesterday, chidi opara reports learned.

We gathered that Ms Brown, the secretary/legal adviser of TIMARIV was kidnapped at the Nembe Waterside area of Port Harcourt. No demand of ransom has been sent to her family at the time of preparing this report.

DSP Ben Ugwuegbulam, Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), told news reporters that the police was working to secure her release soon.

Nelson Jaja, TIMARIV’s helmsman, who is currently out of Port Harcourt expressed surprise at the development. Ms Brown was acting for the helmsman when she was kidnapped.

Following constant frictions between TIMARIV and residents of Port Harcourt in particular, the Rivers State governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had recently toyed with the idea of bringing in the military under the auspices of Joint Task Force on Security (JTF) to assist TIMARIV in the enforcement of traffic rules. JTF is an adhoc security apparatus comprising the Army, Navy, Air force, Police and the State Security Service(SSS). The scheme was put on hold when the media and civil rights activists cried foul.

Port Harcourt residents have been accusing TIMARIV officials of corruption, arbitrariness and acting as if they are above the law. chidi opara reports could not reach any senior official of TIMARIV for comments on this at the time of preparing this report.