Dele Ogunyemi and James Abraham
Chief Frank Ozue, the Vice Chairman of Delta State’s Isoko North Local Government Area, has been kidnapped.
The incident occurred on Sunday in Ogor town, Ughelli North LGA of the state, when his car was reportedly stopped by gunmen who whisked him away to an unknown location.
When the incident occurred, the council vice chairman was said to be alone in the car on his way to the Patani area of the state.
A family source confirmed the incident to journalists in Warri on Monday, saying he was stopped by gunmen along the Iwhre-Ovie/Oviri-Ogor Road, off the Ughelli/Evwreni section of the East-West Road.
The source said, “The kidnappers left his car and his belongings including his phones at the scene of the incident. They have not reached out to the family since Sunday. The family is very worried about the state of his health.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, saying that efforts were ongoing to track the abductors with a view to securing the freedom of the victim.
Also, a pastor with The Church of Christ in Nations, identified as Rev Bung Fon Dong, has been kidnapped by gunmen who attacked the Ganawuri community in Riyom LGA of Plateau State.
Residents said the gunmen invaded the community on Sunday night, shooting sporadically for several hours.
Speaking on the incident on Monday, a resident in the area, who gave his name only as Samuel, said that the gunmen went away with the cleric after forcefully gaining entrance into his official residence, while his wife was shot in the leg.
He said, “It was around 8.30pm on Sunday that the gunmen who came in motorcycles arrived in the community. Residents who were alerted by their gunshots ran helter skelter but they forced themselves into the official residence of Rev Dong and abducted him. His wife who tried to rescue him was shot in the leg and was later taken to the hospital.”
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In a separate incident, gunmen invaded the house of a principal of Government Secondary School, Bum, in the same Ganawuri community, Mr James Mann. His elder brother is the Chief Justice of Plateau State, Justice David Mann.
Mann was, however, lucky as some hunters and vigilance members rescued him from the gunmen after a hot chase.
The President, Atten Youths Development Association, Song Mare, confirmed the incident.
He said the community had been under gunmen siege in the past months, adding that no fewer than four persons were recently kidnapped in the community.
Mare called on government and security agencies to save the community from further attacks.
The PPRO in the state, Alabo Alfred, when contacted said that the command was aware of the attack on the community and had swung into action to apprehend the perpetrators.
