Police Comb Calabar Creeks For Abducted C-River Female Commissioner
BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – More than 24 hours after unknown gunmen abducted Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Professor (Mrs) Gertrude Njar, the Cross River Police Command says efforts are in top gear to rescue her unhurt from the criminals’ den
This is as competent sources hinted that aside from recovering the official car conveying the Commissioner at the time of her kidnap, the combined security teams trailing the abductors also found her shoes by the Calabar creeks.
According to the Command’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, DSP Igri Ewa, the Police and other security agencies are leaving no stone unturned combing the Calabar creeks in search of the victim’s whereabouts.
The female Commissioner was reportedly whisked away by the kidnappers on Wednesday morning near her house along the popular Mayne Avenue in Calabar South Local Government Area.
Commenting on the Command’s rescue efforts so far, DSP Ewa told reporters that “We are combing all the creeks in Calabar South and have also unleashed the tactical forces towards the rescue of the commissioner.
“We have deployed our men, including the tactical teams to be on the trail of the suspected kidnappers. We cannot yet confirm the extent they have gone.”
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Eric Anderson, told newsmen in Calabar that the Commissioner’s official car has been found and security agencies have stepped up their game going after the hoodlums.
Mr Anderson lamented that despite security checks put in place by the State government to forestall such unfortunate development, criminally minded elements have refused to back down in their marauding activities.
However, he appealed for calm as the incident is not out of control, assuring that the State government would ensure perpetrators of the act are brought to book.
The Commissioner’s abduction occurred barely 72 hours after an aide to a federal lawmaker, Mr Kenneth Abang was also kidnapped along the Calabar-Ikom Federal Highway.
Confirming the development, the police spokesperson further said; “We are also doubling efforts towards the rescue of Kenneth Abang from Boki Local Government Area who was kidnapped alongside his relative, one Eunice.”
Abang and his relative were reportedly abducted along the notorious Calabar-Ugep highway a few days ago while going home to perform their late father’s burial rites.
Available reports indicated at least 21 persons have so far fallen victims to kidnappers along that road in the last two months.
