Gunmen have kidnapped Engr Chukwudi Ogbonna, the Accord candidate for the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area Constituency 2 in the March 18 House of Assembly elections in Rivers State.
Ogbonna was reportedly kidnapped while driving in his car at Rumuigbo, near Port Harcourt on Monday night when the gunmen forced him to stop before whisking him away in his car.
Ogbonna’s relative, Ifeaka Nwakiri, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Tuesday, said the kidnap was “politically motivated.”
Nwakiri further said the miscreants had shot sporadically in the air before Ogbonna was whisked away to an unknown destination.
He stated, “It was around 8:25pm yesterday (Monday). I was told he was waylaid on his way to GRA for a meeting.
“This happened on Psychiatric Road in Rumuigbo. He was with someone in the car. The man came out and asked them what the matter was.
“They (kidnappers) started shooting in the air so the man scampered for safety. They now whisked my brother Eng Chukwudi Ogbonna away in his Mercedez Benz.”
Asked if the captors have contacted his family since the incident, he said, ”I was told that they called his wife and told her that her husband is fine.”
Nwakiri said the matter was reported to Kala Police Station, adding that the operatives had promised to get to work immediately.
He said, “What we really want is for them to release him immediately, unconditionally and unhurt.
“He has not held any position in the state before. He is a hardworking man looking for his daily bread until now that he decided to go for an elective position.
“He is popular and the people are really behind him, even as he advised against politics of bitterness.
“People should go out, canvass for votes and once the people are with you, they will vote for you.
“We are not in the stone age where people should be kidnapping, harassing others and all sort of things in the name of politics.
“As I speak to you, his media aides have fled because they have been threatening them. And we don’t know who these faceless people are. This is not how politics should be played.”
The spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police said, “Yes, the command is aware of the incident last night. We have begun investigating to ensure his early release and apprehend the suspects.”
