By Jude Uwakwe, Awka
A middle-aged man, Mr Christian Chisom Akpu has been abducted by gunmen parading as members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network, ESN.
He was abducted in Awka his country home a few days after he returned from overseas.
Mr. Samson Ikechukwu Ogbonna a security member who confirmed the abduction, said their community had become unsafe owing to the activities of unknown gunmen masquerading as IPOB/ESN members.
He said over 20 persons have been abducted from the community in the last two weeks, lamenting that while some returned after ransom was paid, there is no trace of at least nine indigenes of the community that every youth must be a member of the rebelled group, or else they will be killed.
The family security member Mr. Samson Ikechukwu Ogbonna said in the case of Mr Christian Chisom Akpu he had just returned from overseas and was kidnapped from his family house in the late hours of the night.
“We suspect that they have informants in our community because Mr Christian Chisom Akpu just returned today and to our greatest surprise the gunmen attacked his family house and abducted him.
“His own case is even worse because they are demanding ransom in dollars. You can imagine the kind of things these people are doing in the name of fighting for Biafra,” he said.
When asked whether ransom had been paid to secure Mr Christian Chisom Akpu freedom, he said “we have paid the ransom; I don’t want to disclose the amount but it was in dollars. We are awaiting his release.
“There is a total collapse of security in this part of Anambra because these people have overwhelmed security agencies.”
When contacted, a top official of the Anambra State Police Command confirmed receiving a report on the multiple kidnap incidents.
He said efforts were on top gear to free the hostages, stressing that “the situation is more difficult because the hoodlums have informants here and there.”
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