Samuel Ekerenam, a famous businessman from Akwa Ibom State’s Eket Local Government Area, has been kidnapped by gunmen.
Ekerenam, who runs Hephzibah Mall in the LG, was kidnapped over the weekend after gunmen stormed his shopping complex and began firing into the air to scare customers away.
An eyewitness, Udobong Asuquo, informed our correspondent in Uyo, the state capital, on Tuesday that the man’s driver was murdered in the process, while the police officer accompanying him was hurt.
“The incident occurred at about 10 p.m. 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 the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press about the case, said the abductors had 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.”
ASP Timfon John, the state police’s public relations officer, verified the occurrence 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 everyone that the police were on top of the situation and that the kidnapped victim would be rescued safely and the offenders would face the full force of the law.
