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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
Palpable fear and tension have continued to grip motorists and travellers as gunmen have, again, kidnapped a former accountant general in Cross River, Mrs Rose Bassey, with three others, along Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja Highway.
They were abducted by gunmen who laid siege to that axis of the busy highway and shot at the motorists to force them to stop.
It was learnt that a popular evangelist in the state, Edim Edim Omin, was also shot during the process of abducting the four people. The evangelist, who escaped with bullet wounds, is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed private clinic in Calabar.
The incident happened barely 24 hours after the former chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Omagah, escaped attack by armed men, along the same axis, even as the state police command said it had deployed tactical team, including the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad, to that part of the road to safeguard motorists and commuters plying the highway.
A witness said the kidnappers, who were well armed with sophisticated weapons, shot sporadically at vehicles, hitting two people in the process. Family sources revealed that Mrs Rose Bassey was on her way to her farm, which she established at Ekpri-iko community, after Iwuru in Biase Local Government, when the hoodlums struck and whisked her away.
She was in the company of her driver and mechanic when the incident happened about 5pm. Mma has been into farming business since she retired from service.
The source said: “Mma has been spending some time at the farm recently. So for the boys to pick her up leaving the rest with her showed that they knew her very well, and it was carefully planned. We are heart-broken and pray that they bring her home safely.”
Another family source, who didn’t want his name on print, said: “It is unfortunate that these things we hear and read outside are in our backyard now.
“Our highway is gone and we now travel with our hearts in our hands. This is the only highway cutting across almost all the major local government areas of the state. So, if kidnappers have found the road a safe haven, then we are doomed.”
Checks revealed that the Ikom-Calabar-Ogoja highway has gradually become notorious for robbery attacks and kidnapping for ransom, as over 20 people have been abducted and ransom paid in the last two months.
Passengers, motorists, politicians, medical doctors and nurses have been kidnapped at the Uyanga-Ikomita axis of the Calabar-Ogoja highway. The abduction of the medical doctors led to industrial action by the State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) until their members were released.
Some victims had narrated their ordeals and revealed that the gunmen paraded dangerous weapons and boasted that they could withstand the security fire-for-fire.
Reacting, the spokesperson of the state Police Command, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed Tuesday’s incident, said the command was working to see that the four abducted people were released unharmed.
