For the second time in two years, dare-devil gunmen have kidnapped the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Cross River state, Comrade Ben Ukpepi.
The victim’s son, Frank Ben Ukpepi, said his father was kidnapped on Sunday evening in their home which is located at the CROSSPIL estate in Akpabuyo, few kilometers from the Calabar metropolis.
He said, “It was about 6pm on Sunday, when I came back from my business, I met my Dad outside, he told me to get fuel for the generator.
“And I sent my cousin for the fuel while I retired to stay with my mum in the parlour. Not up to five minutes, I heard gunshots and I rushed out and saw kidnappers struggling to jack my father into a standby car and my mother came out and was shouting.
“They took him away and I used my car to chase them, they shot at me but I hit their car. They drove up to Akpabuyo bridge where they took him into a standby boat and took him away, that was the last I heard of my father.”
Also speaking on the development, NLC Vice Chairman, Comrade Lawrence Achuta said, “The Chairman was kidnapped on Sunday night, this is the second time in less than two years. In December 2019, he was abducted, they have not contacted us yet and we don’t know the reason for the abduction.”
A source in the area, who preferred anonymity, had earlier sent an sms to Blueprint in Calabar few hours after the incident.
“Labour Chairman has been kidnapped from CROSSPIL estate. The kidnappers were chased to the Immigration checkpoint, but they opened fire on the Lexus chasing them and immobilised the tyres.
“They took their victim to a waiting boat at the Esuk Ekpo Eyo beach and zoomed off. They were six who boarded the boat with the kidnap victim. The white Audi, which they used, continued, continued on its journey towards Calabar,” the text read in part.
Spokesman for the State Police command, DSP Irene Ugbo, could not be reached as at press time as her line could not connect.
