Gunmen abduct INEC official in A-Ibom community, demand N10m ransom

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Otobong Sylvester Ukpong, was Tuesday kidnapped by gunmen near Government Primary School, Oruk Ata 2, on the Ukanfun-Azumini Expressway, Uyo.

The victim, serving in INEC office in Ukanafun Local Government, hails from Iwukem village in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of the state.

The victim’s brother, Mbetobong Sylvester Ukpong, said: “My brother was kidnapped at Uruk Ata 2, on Tuesday on his way to work at INEC office in Ukanafun.

“Uruk Ata 2 is a volatile area. Militants have kidnapped four church elders, burnt houses and even killed about four people recently.”

He further explained that his brother, who is the last child of the family, was going to the office to participate in the ongoing distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards, PVCs, to electorate.

While disclosing that the abductors have already made contact with the family, demanding N10 million as ransom for his release, he lamented that the family cannot afford such amount of money.

His words: “They contacted the family through my brother’s phone number. That is when they disclosed the ransom.

“But the elders of the family have met and we have told them that such demand is outrageous for a largely peasant family to pay.”

Police’s reaction

Contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Odiko Macdon, confirmed the kidnapping, even as he said that Police are not aware of the ransom being demanded by the hoodlums.

Accordinmg to him, “we have got the report, so I can confirm it. But Police are already on top of the situation. We are doing something drastic to rescue him.”