Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Umuahia-based Journalist, Mr Chuks Onuoha, has been kidnapped by armed men.
The former Correspondent of The Sun Newspapers was abducted Tuesday night, around 9:00pm from his Umungasi, Ohuhu Umuahia country home.
This is coming exactly 10 days after the former Provost of the Abia State Teaching Hospital Aba, ABSUTH, Professor Uwadinachi Iweha, was Kidnapped in front of his house at Umuokpara, Umuahia.
The 74-year-old doctor is yet to be freed by his captors, a development that made doctors in the state of announce the withdrawal of their services both in private and public hospitals with effect from Tuesday, June 14.
The President General (PG) of the community, Mr Suleiman Anyalewechi, who confirmed Onuoha’s abduction, said the community had been thrown into fear because of the incident as well as the spate of kidnappings in the state.
According to the PG, the Secretary of the community contacted him (PG) last night to inform him that some men came and whisked away the Journalist.
He added that his abductors later established contact with the family on Wednesday morning.
Another source said the abductors had demanded a ransom of N10 million.
Kidnapping for ransom has become very rampant in Abia State.
Just three weeks ago, the Prelate of Methodist Church, His Eminence Samuel Uche, and two clerics traveling with him were abducted at Umunneochi axis of the state.
They were later released after two days but not without the payment of N100 million ransom as confirmed by the Prelate.
There have also been series of kidnappings going on in the state especially around Agbama, Olokoro and World Bank areas of the state capital.
Many journalists on transit after a conference of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ in the neighbouring Akwa Ibom State, in 2010, were Kidnapped on the Aba/Ikot Ekpene Road during the better-imagined days of the notorious criminal, Osisikankwu.
However, efforts by Ikengaonline to extract reaction from the police were unsuccessful as the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna, did not pick calls put across to him.
