Hoodlums abducted Former permanent secretary of the state, Sir Ignatius Brown. The incident occurred on Monday while the victim returned from a church meeting. Akwa Ibom State Polifce command has launched an operation to rescue him.
The abduction incident occurred in Abak local government area of the state. It is located in South-South Nigeria.
Additionally, the police command has initiated a chase for the victim’s assailants, Former Permanent Secretary Brown. The sources have revealed that the former permanent secretary of the state was abducted a few metres from his home. Allegedly, the hoodlums trailed him and overtook his vehicle.
According to the eyewitness account, the hoodlums fired several gunshots into the air to scare the motorists in the vicinity away before seizing their victim. Afterwards, they drove him to an unknown destination.
“They (the abductors) trailed him from the St. John’s Catholic Cathedral along Abak-Ikot Ekpene Road. Then they overpowered the driver close to his house at Udokpo street. (they did so) after shooting to scare away other vehicles (drivers) and commuters on the road,” the eyewitness said.
When the abductors succeeded in stopping the victim’s vehicle, a Toyota RAV4 SUV, ey pulled the driver out. They hijacked the vehicle and sped away with him lying on the car’s floor.”
The authorities later recovered the vehicle along the Abak-Ekparakwa Road. However, there was no sign of Brown.
Odiko Macdon, State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Akwa Ibom State command, confirmed the incident. Further, he also revealed that the police command had launched a search for the victim.
He expressed his confidence that the police would successfully locate the victim.
According to PPRO Macdon, the police officials have already arrested one of the suspects. He is helping the command with the necessary information to track down the other kidnappers.
He has also informed the media that a preliminary investigation is ongoing. Olatoye Durusinmi, the Commissioner of Police (CP), has urged the Officer-in-Charge of kidnapping and other tactical teams to ensure they successfully rescue the victim and reunite him with his family.
