New year tragedy:- Unknown gunmen kidnap family of commissioner in Enugu

Some unknown gunmen have reportedly kidnapped the wife and a child of Barrister Dr. Eugene Edeoga, the younger brother of the Enugu State Commissioner for Environment, Hon Chijioke Jonathan Edeoga.

According to PUNCH , the victims were abducted from their house at the old Eke Market in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday night, January 1.

A community leader, Chief Godswill Ndukwe, who confirmed the abduction on Sunday, said that security operatives had already begun searching for them to ensure their immediate rescue.

Ndukwe, who said he received the report of their abduction around 8pm, lamented that Eha-Amufu is currently in turmoil since the information of the abduction filtered into the air on Saturday evening.

“The disturbing part of this abduction is that they were abducted inside their house. This was the second scenario where kidnappers would be entering their victims’ house to abduct them. The first was the kidnap of the eight-year-old daughter of the chairman of Agu-Amede community, Mr Sunday, a.k.a Sharia, in November last year.

“Unfortunately, since this festive period, no fewer than 10 persons had been abducted before this incident. They (kidnappers) started with the kidnap of a Catholic priest in Ebo Community. A few days later, three people in tricycle were abducted and last week five others were abducted along Eha-Amufu -Ikem Road.”

Another community leader, Sunday Sharia, said that immediately after the kidnap incident of last week, a team of policemen from the State Police Command stormed Eha-Amufu and arrested scores of youths, accusing them of being behind the kidnapping incidences.

“However, most of them were still in detention at the police headquarters when this recent kidnapping occurred. So, who is now behind the kidnapping?” he queried.

“Most of our people that were kidnapped and released after ransom was paid had told people that those that kidnapped them were Fulani herdsmen. I wondered why police instead of looking for the abductors resorted to arresting our youths for the crime.” he added.