HRH OF ESIT EKET KIDNAPPED

Akwa Ibom State: The Paramount ruler of Esit Eket, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Ubong Peter Assam has been kidnapped by unknown gun men who stormed his palace about 2: 00 am Nigerian time today, Tuesday. The gun men who were about seven in number stormed the royal palace while shattering bullets into the air, dragged Edidem Assam out of his bed room into a waiting unidentified car and drove to Unyeghe, in Mbo Local Government Area, where he was again picked up by a speed boat into the Oron high sea. An eyewitness said though, no casualty was recorded during the operation, but several people sustained injuries in varied degrees while scampering for safety “The gun men surrounded the chief’s compound shooting gun into the air. One of the gun shots sounded like a bomb blast. I thought it was a war. My daughter and I ran into the bush. She sustained some injuries while running. We saw them dragged the chief like a goat. I thought the came to kill him. But they put him into a waiting car that was steaming and sped off to the Unyighe area of Oron. The police came very late while they have already gone.” Mrs Ime Akpe, a quivering mother of three told this reporter. The Esit Eket Police Divisional Officer was not available for comment as he was said to have travelled to Uyo since yesterday for police weekly briefing. But a senior police officer who merely gave his name as Inspector Ogar said he got distress calls from different sources around 2:00 am this morning but before they arrived the scene, the kidnappers have already gone with the royal father. “There were a lot of calls from different quarters informing us of the operation of the kidnappers, but before we could mobilize our men from Uquo to Akpa Utong, they had already fled the scene with the chief. But we are going to send our men to comb the community in search of the abducted chief.” Mr Orga said.