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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Cross River State chapter, has confirmed the abduction of two medical doctors and five others.
In the last two weeks, kidnappers have been on rampage in Calabar metropolis and its environs especially along Calabar-Ikom federal highway, thereby created tension and fear among travellers and motorists along the highway.
On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, nine travellers were abducted along Okomita highway but police authorities later confirmed the release of eight of them.
The latest seven victims were kidnapped along Akamkpa-Uyanga axis of the road about 4.00 pm on Friday, November 19, 2022 while on their way back to Ogoja after attending a workshop in Calabar.
The gun-totting men were said to have blocked the highway during operation and shot sporadically into the air to scare away passers-by and zoomed off immediately they succeeded in abducting their victims.
A witness, who did not disclose his name, said out of the seven persons they kidnapped, three were females while the others were males.
According to him, the hoodlums later released the three females, after dispossessing them of their valuables including phones, watches and cash, and took the four males with them into the bush.
Speaking, the Cross River chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Felix Archibong, confirmed that two of their members were kidnapped yesterday along Uyanga-Akamkp road.
He said the association had reported to the state government and prayed that their members would come back hale and hearty.
A source close to the family of one of the doctors, revealed that the kidnappers called early morning yesterday and demanded N60m as ransom. The source said when they tried to call back to negotiate, the phone was switched off and they had not called again.
Calls put across to the Public Relations Officer, Cross River State Command, SP Irene Ugbo, could not go through, but police sources revealed that the command had deployed a crack team to track down the hoodlums.
