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Gunmen Kidnap Ex-Akwa Ibom Perm Sec After Church Meeting

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Abductors Kill Former Local Govt Chairman In Benue State
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The Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has said that it had deployed its operatives to go after unknown gunmen who abducted a former Permanent Secretary of the state, Ignatius Brown.

Naija News learnt that Brown was returning to his house on Monday after a meeting at his church when the assailants cornered his vehicle and whisked him away to an unknown location.

The incident, according to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, happened in the Abak Local Government Area of the state.

The police mouthpiece said one suspect had been arrested and was helping the operatives with the necessary information to track down the other kidnappers.

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“We have received that report already, and as we speak, a preliminary investigation is ongoing. The Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durusinmi, has detailed the Officer-in-Charge of kidnapping and other Tactical teams to ensure that the victim is successfully rescued and reunited with his family.

“Based on the CP’s instructions, a lot had already been done. We have one person in our custody who is helping us with the necessary information, and I believe that the kidnapped victim will soon regain his freedom,” Macdon revealed in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday evening.

How Brown Was Abducted

An eyewitness who identified himself as Aniefiok Marcus had told journalists in Uyo earlier that Brown, who is the chairman of Saint John’s Catholic Church Council, Abak LGA, was abducted a few metres away from his home while returning home after the church meeting he had with his members that evening.

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He explained that the assailants trailed the former government appointee from the church along Abak-Ikot Ekpene road and overtook his driver a few metres away from his house.

Marcus said, “they (the hoodlums) trailed him from the Saint John’s Catholic Cathedral along Abak-Ikot Ekpene road and overpowered the driver close to the house at Udokpo street after shooting sporadically to scare away other vehicles and commuters on the road.”

“When they (the kidnappers) succeeded in halting the Toyota RAV4 SUV of Sir Brown, they bundled the driver out, hijacked the vehicle and sped away with him lying down on the floor of the car.”

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Naija News learnt that Brown’s car was later recovered as the hoodlums abandoned it along the Abak-Ekparakwa road after disappearing with the victim.

It was reported that the retired Permanent Secretary, who hailed from Etinan Local Government Area, had been living in Abak for many years before the incident.