No fewer than five guests returning from a traditional wedding ceremony in Anambra were on Monday night abducted by gunmen.
DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Anambra, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.
Ikenga said that security personnel had launched a rescue operation to ensure that the victims were safely reunited with their families unhurt.
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A reliable source had told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the guests were kidnapped at about 10.00 p.m. on their way home.
“The guests (names withheld) were kidnapped at gunpoint at about 10.00 p.m. on the Akpo – Nkpologwu road in Aguata Local Area of Anambra.
“About 15 of the guest were returning to the hotel from Achina, the venue of the marriage, in a convoy of three vehicles when they ran into the abductors, but only the first car was able to escape.
“The gunmen asked all the ladies to go and took five of the men away after shooting into the air,” the source explained.
It was gathered that the five persons were returning from the traditional marriage ceremony of a cousin to the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Sly Ezeokenwa when they were picked at gunpoint.
An alert message by the commissioner, which was made available to journalists, stated that the victims were kidnapped around the Akpo community in Aguata LGA at about 10 pm on Monday and that no contact had been established with them or the kidnappers.
Ezeokenwa wrote, “The following friends of my cousin – Sampson Okafor, Chidozie Eze, Franklin Osuuagu, Chijioke Uduba, Benedict Ozoagwu – who visited for his traditional marriage yesterday (Monday) were kidnapped at gunpoint at about 10 pm last night in Udo Village, Akpo (Aguata LGA) along Akpo – Nkpologwu road about 300m to Akpo Junction. We are yet to establish any contact with the victims.”