Gunmen kidnap C’ River deputy gov’s father, uncle

Gunmen in the wee hours of Friday
kidnapped the octogenarian father of
the deputy governor of Cross River
State, Chief Essien Cobham, from his
home in Creek Town, Odukpani Local
Government Area of the state.
An uncle of the deputy governor, whose
name could not be immediately
ascertained, was equally said to have
been abducted by the kidnappers.
The kidnappers were said to have
entered and left the town through the
Calabar waterways on speedboats at
about 2am and operated for over an
hour.
Our correspondent, who visited Creek
Town on Friday, learnt that the
kidnapers had initially burst into the
residence of the brother of the Director-
General of the Directorate of Security
Service, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, but only
succeeded in vandalising the building
as the brother, identified as Chief
Asuquo Aka, was not at home.
A source, who preferred anonymity,
said the heavily armed men
accompanied by Alsatian dogs came in
from the Bakassi area of the waterways
with two flying boats.
He said, "They broke the wall of the
deputy governor's father's house to
gain access to the building. They also
vandalised the building where the
younger brother of the director-general
of SSS is staying. The house is believed
to be a family compound. But they
faced stiff resistance from security
agents."
The state Police Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Hogan Bassey, confirmed the
incidence but refused to give details for
security reasons.