Gunmen abduct Cross River Monarch

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a traditional ruler in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, His Royal Highness (HRH) Eteka Eyamba, 83.

TopNaija gathered that the Monarch was kidnapped from his residence, Ibesikpo by Ambo Street on Monday at about 7 pm by heavily armed kidnappers who cordoned the entire area and shot sporadically.

The victim was successfully abducted and taken away in a vehicle to the creek, but they could not cross because of inadequate water in the creek. “There was no enough water to enable them to cross the victim to the other side,” a source hinted our correspondent.

An eyewitness who gave his name as Edet Udo said that the moment the victim was taken away, the youths mobilized themselves, chased the kidnappers with the backing of the operation Akpakwu, a joint security outfit of Governor Ayade, and rescued the victim on Tuesday morning.

“The victim was rescued this morning, Tuesday, when our youths and the security operatives invaded the creek. We were told that one of them was shot in the leg and his colleagues took him away and abandoned the victim.

“The Monarch is a lucky fellow. Assuming the water was much; he would have been shifted to the other side. Our youths said they have seen the place where the kidnappers built their houses at the other side of the creeks,” he alleged.

When TopNaija contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, represented by her assistant, Igre Ewa, he said that the victim was kidnapped on Monday but rescued this morning, Tuesday.

“It’s true that HRH Eteka was kidnapped yesterday, Monday, but was rescued early part of this morning (Tuesday) by a joint team of the security operatives, Operation Akpakwu.

“The team went there when a distress call was made to them. They cordoned off the place and as a result of the pressure, the abductors took their wounded colleagues and ran away, and left the victim. ”