Gunmen kidnap Ex-Anambra Lawmaker, 1 Other

A former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Sylvester Okeke, has been kidnapped.

Daily Trust gathered that he was kidnapped alongside one other person, who is yet to be known.

It was gathered that they were abducted close to a Military checkpoint along the Ring Road area in Awka, Anambra State capital.

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ikenga Tochukwu, said he was not aware of the incident.

Ikenga said, “Where did it take place, did anyone report the incident to any police station, we don’t have such a report. And I am not aware of such an incident. But I will make inquiries and get back to you.”

A source in the ex-legislator’s Agulu hometown in the Anaocha Local Government area of the state said Okeke had been missing since Friday evening.

The source said, “He (Hon. Okeke) attended a meeting of the national leadership of Agulu Peoples Union last Friday which ended before 4 pm. He is the national vice president of the union. After the meeting, he branched off to his shop in Agulu where he sells wine.

“We learned that it was while he was going back to Awka that he was kidnapped. He was said to be alone in his car. And we learned that they were two that were kidnapped. So, the second person might be the owner of the second vehicle that was behind his own, but, nobody knows the identity of that person yet.”

The source added that the kidnappers had called the former legislator’s family members and demanded ransom.

“The family members of the former lawmakers are handling the issue discreetly so as not to make any public statement that could jeopardise the chances of negotiating his freedom,” the source added.

Meanwhile, a viral video showing the ex-legislator’s 406 Peugeot salon car marked ‘Anambra State Legislature, 11A-AA’ and a Toyota Saloon car marked LSR 409 GU parked on the road at the Ring Road in Awka was riddled with bullets as they had multiple holes on their front bonnets.