3 INEC Officials, 3 Others Abducted In Kogi

Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said to be going for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State have been reportedly kidnapped in Kogi State.

According to locals, the kidnapped INEC officials were seized by gunmen on Tuesday at Aloma, Ofu local government area of the State.

Three other occupants of the vehicle in which they were travelling were also kidnapped along with them.

The kidnapped three INEC officials were identified as Chinenye Orji, Adamaka Anih, and Catherine Temaugee.

It was gathered that they were deployed to Anambra State from Abuja to print voters’ registers and other election materials ahead of the governorship election slated for month.

The driver of the Sienna minibus they were travelling in, in a recorded telephone conversation, stated that the kidnappers took over the highway, shot at the bus, and shattered the windshield forcing it to stop.

According to him, all occupants of the bus were abducted, including his wife, except himself and an elderly woman who could not walk properly.

The driver later recounted that the kidnappers freed him and the elderly woman after realising she had mobility issues.

The woman, who was also released in the vehicle, said: “We were in the same vehicle with them, going to Awka.”

“The driver and myself were released. It happened a little after 3pm. We left the motor park at 9 am from Utako.

“We stayed briefly at Lokoja to eat. We took Anambra Comfort Line.”

All efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) of the Kogi State Police Command, SP William Ovye Aya, proved abortive as he neither picked his calls or reply to messages sent to him by our Correspondent.