Gunmen abduct INEC official, demand N10m ransom

Gunmen abduct INEC official, demand N10m ransom

- There was pandemonium in Akwa Ibom community on Tuesday, June 5, after an INEC official was kidnapped by unknown gunmen

- The victim fell into the hands of criminals when he was going to participate in the ongoing distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards to electorate

- The abductors that contacted the family of the victim demanded N10 million as ransom for his release

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Otobong Sylvester Ukpong, has reportedly been kidnapped by gunmen near government primary school, Oruk Ata 2, on the Ukanfun-Azumini Expressway, Uyo.

The victim who was kidnapped on Tuesday, June 5, serves in INEC office in Ukanafun local government and is from Iwukem village in Etim Ekpo local government area of the state, Vanguard reports.

The victim’s brother, Mbetobong Sylvester Ukpong, said: “My brother was kidnapped at Uruk Ata 2, on Tuesday on his way to work at INEC office in Ukanafun. Uruk Ata 2 is a volatile area. Militants have kidnapped four church elders, burnt houses and even killed about four people recently."

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He further explained that his brother, who is the last child of the family, was going to the office to participate in the ongoing distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to electorate.

While disclosing that the abductors have already made contact with the family, demanding N10 million as ransom for his release, he lamented that the family cannot afford such amount of money.

He added: “They contacted the family through my brother’s phone number. That is when they disclosed the ransom. But the elders of the family have met and we have told them that such demand is outrageous for a largely peasant family to pay."

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The state’s police public relations officer, Odiko Macdon, confirmed the kidnapping, even as he said that the police was not aware of the ransom being demanded by the hoodlums.

According to him, “we have got the report, so I can confirm it. But police are already on top of the situation. We are doing something drastic to rescue him."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the police in Bayelsa said they had rescued two female teenagers, abducted by a gunman in Agbura, near Azikoro village in Yenagoa local government area of the state.

In a statement on Saturday, May 26, in Yenagoa by police public relations officer in the state, Asinim Butswat, said the girls were rescued by the police in the area.

Butswat said that the gunman specialised in stalking his victims to church during vigil or to their houses with a dummy AK47 rifle to perpetrate the act.

Legit.ng visits the kidnappers den discovered in Lagos - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng

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