Gunmen kidnap Akwa Ibom businessman, kill driver

Gunmen have kidnapped a prominent businessman in the Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Samuel Ekerenam.

Ekerenam, who owns Hephzibah Mall in the LG, was abducted at the weekend after the hoodlums arrived at his shopping complex and started shooting into the air to scare people away.

An eyewitness, Udobong Asuquo, told our correspondent in Uyo, the state capital, on Tuesday that the man’s driver was killed in the process while the policeman attached to him was injured.

“The incident occurred at about 10pm on Saturday and claimed the life of the driver, while the policeman attached to the kidnapped proprietor of the mall was injured,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a family source who spoke on condition of anonymity because he has not been mandated to speak to the press on the matter, said the abductors were yet to contact the family.

He said, “We are yet to ascertain the motive of the kidnappers, whether the man was seized for ransom or other motives because they are yet to contact the family.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

He said, “The commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, had since deployed tactical operatives to comb the area for the abducted businessman.”

She assured all that the police were on top of the case and that in no time, the kidnapped victim would be rescued unharmed and the perpetrators made to face the full weight of the law.