Abia APC chairman regains freedom, recounts experience in kidnappers’ den

Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia

The kidnapped All Progressives Congress (APC) state party chairman, Hon Donatus Nwankpa, late Thursday regained his freedom. On the eve of the APC rally in Abia State, on the January 27th, Hon Donatus Nwankpa was kidnapped while on his way to Aba. However, by 9 pm last Thursday, he was released unharmed and he spoke exclusively to our reporter that he was kidnapped after shooting at his vehicle when he ran into them about 30 meters away from a police checkpoint, while the Police was watching “as they shoot at us”. Hon. Nwankpa disclosed that contrary to reports that he had large sums of money on him was false adding that the little he had on him was not touched. The APC boss in Abia disclosed further that having not succeeded after the shooting, “they used the butt of their gun to smash my vehicle window. Eventually, they had me”. Nwankpa said he pleaded with them to release his Personal Assistant, Chigbu on grounds of his health, “while they took me to an unknown place which I found out was a thick forest”. He said it took them 48 before establishing contact with his people stating “after talking with them, they now communicated with my people, thinking I had cash”. According to him, his major fears were that in the event of any shootout with the security agents, he may be injured, disclosing that he was held in a ditch in what looked like a burrow-pit. He identified the area he was held to be in a forest close to Abia and Rivers states boarder. Hon Nwankpa regretted the insinuations that he was trailed from a bank where he had gone to withdraw money, adding that he does not want people to politicize insecurity in the state. “It is a state of insecurity. There is the need to restructure security” in the state, he said and commended the Police, the State Security Service, and the Army “for rising up to the challenge” over his ordeal. He lamented that he missed the APC Presidential rally the next day, adding “but also being in the cold was another action”. He further said, “it is also a show that no man is indispensable and no one will be absent and the rally will not hold, except the President”. He thanked God who provided the attention and those who in one way or the other, including prayers, made his release possible. Also speaking, the APC Zonal Vice Chairman (Abia North) Chris Onyeabor Nwabueze Aja said they were expecting him at the stadium at Aba for inspection when they got the news the next day. According to him, they, as well as the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole were shocked on hearing the news and thanked God that Nwankpa came back alive.