Gunmen abduct ex-Accountant General, three other persons in C’River; as pastor escapes with bullet wound

An ex-Accountant General of Cross River State during Donald Duke’s administration, Mrs Rose Bassey, and three other yet to be identified persons were on Tuesday evening abducted on Uyanga-Ikomita axis of the Calabar-Ikom Highway.

They were abducted by gunmen who laid siege to that axis of the busy highway by shooting at the traveling motorists to force them to stop.

A popular cleric in the state, Evangelist Edim Edim Omin, was also shot at but luckily escaped with bullet wounds and is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Checks showed that the kidnapped ex-Accountant General was in the company of her driver and was abducted about 5pm on Tuesday on her way back from her farm at Ekpri Iko after Iwuru in Biase LGA.

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This attack came barely 24 hours that the state police Command said it had deployed tactical teams, including the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad in that axis of the highway to safeguard motorists and commuters plying the highway.

Various security operatives including anti kidnapping squad, Operation Akpakwu, Operation Sting, Operation Restore Peace were stationed at different points on the road on Wednesday morning.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident and said the Command was working to see that the four abducted persons were released unharmed.

She reiterated that the Command was working to see that normalcy returned to that axis of the highway.

“It is a sad reality for us and as I speak with you, the Commissioner of Police is heading to that axis to assess the situation of things himself,” she stated.

Recall that the Uyanga-Ikomita axis of the Calabar-Ikom highway has become notorious for kidnappers in the last eight weeks.

At least 15 persons, including two medical doctors in the state, have been abducted on that axis of the Calabar-Ikom highway. (Vanguard)