BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Cross River State Police Command had confirmed that eight out of the nine persons abducted by gunmen in Cross River State on Tuesday have now regained their freedom.
Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Irene Ugbo, disclosed that eight of the victims were now in safe hands while the ninth person reportedly escaped from the kidnappers’ den before the rescue team arrived at the scene.
The Command Spokesperson did not give any information about the whereabouts of one person said to have escaped from the abductors.
However, SP Irene described as ‘untrue’ earlier reports that the kidnap was the handiwork of rampaging herdsmen, explaining that it was a pure incident of robbery by some armed gangs.
Reports had emerged on Tuesday that nine persons were abducted by suspected herdsmen along Calabar-Ikom Highway in Cross River State while the driver of the vehicle they were travelling in escaped into the bush unhurt
According to the Cross River state Commissioner of Police, CP Sule Balarabe, who confirmed the reports, the unfortunate incident occurred along the Calabar-Ikom Highway at about 17:15 hours.
The Police boss said on getting the information, officers of the State Command immediately sprang into action, leading to the successful rescue operation.
