Lauren Patricia Catherine Tilley
THE TWO Canadians women who were kidnapped in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional Capital, about a week ago, have been rescued.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, made the announcement in a statement issued on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
According to the statement, “National Security Operatives in the early hours of Wednesday 12 June, 2019 completed an operation which successfully rescued the two (2) Canadian women recently abducted in the Ashanti Region.”
It said “details of the operation and ongoing efforts to ensure that similar incidents are successfully resolved will be made available in a subsequent press briefing scheduled for 15:00 hours today.”
“Government continues to encourage the media and commentators to be
circumspect in public commentary on security matters in order not to compromise other related operations.
Citizens and travellers are once again assured that Ghana remains safe,” it said.
The Kidnapping
Lauren Patricia Catherine Tilley, 19, and Bailey Jordan Chitty, 20, both students working as volunteers in Ghana for an international development organisation, Youth Challenge International, were allegedly abducted recently and taken to unknown destination by some gun-wielding men.
The captors had ambushed the young women on a driveway at Ahodwo-Nhyiaeso near the Royal Gulf Club in Kumasi, whilst returning from a food joint in an Uber car.
They were bundled into a Toyota Camry saloon car and whisked away after stepping out of the car to go to their hostel at the Silver Spring avenue.
That prompted the Canadian Government to swiftly issue a travel advice for its citizens traveling to Ghana, warning of “violent crimes” in the West African nation.
BY Melvin Tarlue