Gunmen Kidnap Akwa Ibom PDP Chieftain

Armed gunmen suspected to be cultists terrorising parts of Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have kidnapped a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ukanafun local government area, Hon Ofonime Udodung.

Udodung, a former PDP ward executive member, according to the local residents, was abducted on Tuesday evening at about 7:00 pm by some unidentified hoodlums who wielded AK-47 rifles at Ikot Akpa Ntuen community in Ukanafun council.

A resident, Ime James, who claimed to be an eyewitness, said the criminals laid ambush in a bus a few metres to the place, monitoring their target until the coast became clear for them to swoop on him.

“The former PDP ward executive member was abducted at his business premises opposite the Government Primary School, where he buys palm kernel from petty sellers for onward transmission to the nearby Aba, Abia State, where he in turn sells to big merchants for industrial production,” he explained.

He said the police from Ukanafun Division had visited the scene of the incident shortly after the unknown gunmen had driven their victim away in a bus.

According to family sources, no contact has yet been established to ascertain their motive “whether it is connected to the politics of 2023 or for ransom.” He expressed worry over the resurgence of kidnapping cases after Governor Udom Emmanuel had in the run-up to the 2019 elections impressed it on them to lay down their arms in amnesty deal.

However, the police public relations officer, SP Odikko MacDon, could not pick his calls to explain the extent to which operatives of the command had gone to rescue the victim.