Gunmen abduct commissioner in Cross River

SOME unidentified gunmen, on Sunday, abducted Mr Gabriel Odu-Orji, the Cross Rivers Commissioner for Water Resources at Effionawan Street in Mayne Avenue area of Calabar South.

An eyewitness, Mr James Ibri, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that five gunmen came in a blue Audi car and picked Odu-Orji away as he stepped down to eat in a restaurant.

Ibri said that the gunmen dropped their car and ordered the commissioner into his Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and drove away with him.

“At around noon today, I was in front of one restaurant waiting for a friend when the Commissioner for Water Resources stepped down and was approaching the restaurant.

“Before he could get into the restaurant, some well-armed men numbering about five came in a blue Audi, parked their car by the roadside and ordered the commissioner into his car and drove away.

“Those guys were kidnappers because they wore masks to hide their faces,” he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.

“We have received a report about the abduction of the Commissioner for Water Resources. He was kidnapped and taken away in his Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicle Jeep today.

“We have deployed our men from the command and those from the intelligence department to all routes in the state with a view to securing his release,” Ugbo said.