BREAKING: Tension As Gunmen Kidnap Nigerian Popular Cleric
Some yet-to-be-identified assailants have abducted a man, suspected to be a cleric at Nnobi Roundabout in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
It was gathered that the incident happened late on Monday as the victim, who was said to be driving in a Lexus FX 300 jeep with an Anambra State number plate, stopped at Nnobi junction to buy some fruits when his telephone phone rang.
According to eyewitnesses at the scene, who did not mention their names for security reasons, the victim was heading towards the Awka-Etiti direction when the hoodlums stormed the location he was buying the fruits.
The sources said the hoodlums shot sporadically in the air as people scampered to safety thereby disrupting activities at the evening market and street trading along the road.
Although, there was no record of casualty, but many people were said to have sustained various degrees of injury as they ran helter-skelter in different directions when the hoodlums began shooting.
The eyewitnesses said, “The victim who was dressed in a clergy robe was still answering the call as he was buying the fruits when the assailants who were armed to the teeth double-crossed his vehicle with another car.
“The assailants forcefully bundled the man into their jeep leaving the victim’s car on the road before driving off. The car was still standing on the road facing the Awka-Etiti axis of the Nnobi Junction, as of this Tuesday morning.”
It was gathered that the vehicle was later driven off on Tuesday morning by security operatives believed to be policemen from the state police command.
Reacting to the development in a statement on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident, however, said the information gathered so far by the police showed that the victim is not a Catholic priest or clergyman.
He said, “The attention of Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a news report saying a Catholic priest/clergyman was kidnapped in Anambra State along Afor junction, Nnobi road. The information gathered so far showed that he is not a clergyman or a priest.
“To set the records straight, the command operatives got information about an abandoned white Lexus jeep with registration number GDD 882 PW by 8:30 pm, along Afor market junction, Nnobi road.
“The officers got to the scene and recovered the vehicle as they approached the police base, the owner of the vehicle came to the police station with proof of ownership, was identified and the vehicle was released to him.
“The victim claimed to have been abducted by yet unidentified men and was dispossessed of his personal belongings before his release.
“Meanwhile, the investigation into the debriefings of the victim by operatives is still ongoing as the command wishes to state categorically that information gathered so far shows that he is not a clergyman or a priest. Further details shall be communicated.”
