Gunmen have kidnapped the former Accountant General of Cross River, Mrs Rose Bassey, and three others along Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja highway.
They were abducted along the Uyanga-Ikomita axis of the busy highway on Tuesday evening, December 6, 2022.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the former chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Omagah escaped attack by the armed men along the same axis.
It was gathered that the gunmen laid siege on the road, shooting at the traveling motorists to force them to stop.
Witnesses said the kidnappers, who were well armed with sophisticated weapons, shot sporadically into vehicles, hitting two persons including an APC ward leader.
A popular cleric in the state, Evangelist Edim Edim Omin was also shot but luckily escaped with bullet wounds and is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Calabar.
It was gathered that Mrs Rose Bassey was on her way to her farm at Ekpri-iko community, after Iwuru in Biase local government when the hoodlums struck and whisked her away.
She was in the company of her driver and mechanic when the incident happened about 5:00pm.
“Mma has been spending some time at the farm recently. So for the boys to pick her up leaving the rest with her showed that they know her very well and it was carefully planned. We are heart-broken and pray that they bring her home safely,’ a family source said.
Another source said:”It is unfortunate that these things we hear and read outside are in our backyard now. Our highway is gone and we now travel with our heart on our hands. This is the only highway cutting across almost all the major local governement areas of the state. So, if kidnappers have found road a safe haven, then we are doomed.”
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the abduction said the Command is working to see that the four abducted persons are released unharmed.
She reiterated that the Command is working to see that normalcy return to that axis of the highway.
“It is a sad reality for us and as I speak with you, the Commissioner of Police is heading to that axis to access the situation himself,” she added.
