Gunmen abduct lawyer, baker in Enugu

By Moses Oyediran, Enugu

 Gunmen numbering about five at the weekend stormed Nsukka Local Government Area a of Enugu state abducting a lawyer Josephat Nzewi and a prominent baker Chief Vincent Okonkwo (Ogadinma).

Daily Times gathered that the gun men were on the trail of the two who were returning from a funeral ceremony at Ngwo in Udi Local Government Area of the state.

Investigation revealed that the armed men sensing that Chief Okonkwo was closed to his house at Omuma Close Ugwu Achara Nsukka allegedly blocked their victims with a Toyota Sienna Car and started shooting sporadically into the air to scare away people at about 8.30pm.

An eye witness who claimed to be close by to the scene of incident but preferred to be anonymous said Chief Ogadimma was driving in with his lawyer in his metallic ash colour Rav 4 Toyota car when suddenly one Sienna car speed past and blocked him, three young men jumped down from the Sienna and at gunpoint ordered to enter the Sienna car.

The anonymous eye witness told Daily Times that both Okonkwo and Nzewi initially resisted coming out of Rav 4 Toyota car but the continuous sound of the gunshot and the scampering of people for safety made them to comply to the orders of the hoodlums.

“When Ogadinma and his friend were driven away no one ever taught the scenario was that of abduction. We taught the people that police who had confronted them possibly for arrest of an offence because they did not put on mask.

“Nobody ever believed the incident was that of abduction as the hoodlums only wore face caps but the way they wield their guns frightened onlookers and ensured scampering for safety.

“We saw them, they were three in number who came down from the Sienna car while others sat back in the car till the two men were forced into the waiting car ’’.

Investigation by Daily Times revealed that since the incident occurred last weekend the abductors have not called for ransom from the families of their captives while the families have continued to express concern and frustrations over the safety of the two.

Contacted for comment, Mrs. Okonkwo said that she has resigned her fate to prayers for the possible release of her husband.

“I appealed to the general public to join me in prayer for the release of my husband”, she said.
When contacted the Enugu state Police Public Relation Officer Ebere Amaraizu said the State Command is working to ensure that the two men regain their freedom from the hands of their abductors.   

“The Enugu state command of the Nigeria police Force has intensified its bid towards ensuring that victims of the alleged abduction at Nsukka on Saturday regain their freedom and unhurt.

“The incident is very unfortunate but we are not resting on oars towards ensuring that victims are freed unhurt.

“All hands are on deck and we have commenced full scale investigations into the alleged incident”, he said.