Some sixteen persons suspected to be natives from neighboring West African countries have been found in an alleged kidnap situation in a single-room apartment at Ankaful Zongo in the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana.

The Kidnapped individuals believed to have been locked up in the room for over a month now without being catered for, hence grown lean, are suspected to hail from neighboring francophone countries like Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali, and Niger.

A report by Sompa News reporter Eric Annan indicates, the kidnapped persons aged between 12 to 20 years are unable to express themselves in the local and English dialects but do so in different languages including French.

According to residents of the area, the main gate to the apartment where these victims were housed has for some time been locked, with its security man nowhere to be found.

Hon. George Anarful, Assembly Member for Ankaful said, he was informed that the kidnapped persons were deceived by the culprits to sign for a football team in Ghana however this turned out to be untrue as they were held hostage.

He disclosed to have earlier reported the case to the Ankaful Police Command but the police failed to follow up on the issue, not even after residents suspected the kidnapped persons to be arm robbers. He attributed the police actions to the negligence of duty.

Nana Abura Asankoma III, Chief of Cape Coast-Ankaful highlighted the situation to be frightening after beholding the lean-grown kidnapped individuals.

The chief has sounded a clarion call to various security agencies to sense urgency and launch a massive investigation into the matter.

Residents expressed shock and fear after the incident, they appealed to the Ghana Immigration Service and the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare to try its possible best to apprehend the perpetrators.

Source: Ghana/Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan