Six persons allegedly kidnapped in Cross River State amid coronavirus lockdown 

A former board member of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, FNPH, Princess Filia Henshaw, an Igbo businessman, Chief Odinka Odinka, CEO Odinka Electrical and Electronics and four others were allegedly abducted in Calabar, Cross River State.

The victims were abducted in the last few weeks amidst COVID-19 pandemic and partial lockdown in the State.

Chief Odinka, who is in his 70s and an asthmatic patient, was picked up from his shop on Friday at Target Street Calabar South LGA at about 8 p.m.

DAILY POST gathered that amid the fear of COVID-19 as well as partial lockdown, not less than five Igbo businessmen/women have been kidnapped in the state while Princess Henshaw was abducted late Sunday night from her residence by gunmen near Hawkins Street in Calabar South LGA.

A family member, who pleaded anonymity, said: “The gunmen came inside the compound while the generator was on, their first move was to turn off the generator to lure us outside.

“The moment I opened the door to check what happened, I was brutally attacked by two gunmen while others were waiting outside.

“Immediately, Mma (Filia) heard the struggles between me and the gunmen, she advanced outside, that was when she was ordered silently to a waiting car by the gunmen and was whisked away,” he said.

Our reporter gathered that apart from Chief Odinka, an IT consultant and younger brother to CEO of Andy Systems was also released recently after parting with huge sum of money including one Chidozie who imports clothes was abducted along Etta Agbor.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that another business mogul paid 7 million naira while a female pharmacist at Orok Orok junction paid about 1 million naira before she was released too.

The source said: “About four Igbo people have been kidnapped amid the spread of the pandemic and you can imagine paying millions of naira to criminals at this critical time.

“The situation is really degenerating and we are appealing to Governor Ben Shade to help us, our people are losing money to these criminals,” he bemoaned.

Meanwhile, when newsmen contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, she confirmed the incidents and said there were on top of the situation.

“We are aware of the incidents and we are working on it, we are investigating the abduction of a businessman at Target and Princess Henshaw and we will get to the root of the matter.

“We also made progress at the weekend as we rescued another businessman who was kidnapped in Akampka LGA, we are not resting on our oars, we are matching our words with action by making sure we rid the state of all criminal elements.

“The public should be rest assured that our men are on ground both uniform and plain clothes, we are working round the clock to ensure the safety of the people even at this critical time that COVID-19 seems to be the subject matter, we are at alert,” she assured.