Suspects linked to the kidnap last week of an expatriate engineer working for Al Majdal Construction Company in Akwa Ibom have been arrested by the police in neighbouring Rivers state.
The engineer was abducted while two soldiers were shot dead by the gunmen in an operation that took place on a road construction along Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe-Ikot Akpan-Afaha Ukanafun axis last week.
It was gathered that the incident occurred when the engineer was on routine inspection at the road construction project site awarded by Akwa Ibom State government.
An eyewitness said that after the expatriate had spent 18 days in the kidnappers den , he was released last Friday night at the same spot where he was abducted.
“At about 8pm Friday, the hoodlums brought him ( the expatriate)from the creeks in a speedboat blindfolded and dropped at the same spot he was kidnapped. He then made calls to their project office within the community before he was picked up by heavily armed soldiers for treatment.”
Speaking , the clan head of Inen His Royal Highness Obong Johnson Obosi , the border community between OrukAnam and Ukanafun where the incident occurred confirmed that the abducted expatriate has been released by the abductors. ”
“Yes, the chairman of OrukAnam local government area Prince Ubong Idiong called me this morning informing me that the abducted expatriate has been released by the abductors. All our clamour and press conference begging the kidnappers to release the expatriate are not in vain.”
Obong Obosi said though the expatriate has been released , the council of chiefs would not rescind its decision to use traditional means of invoking native injunction against the perpetrators of such crime so that government can continue the development projects in our community with confidence.
“Despite the fact that the abductors have freed the expatriate, we would still have meeting tomorrow to explore traditional means by invoking some native injunction against the gunmen and their collaborators so that government would continue in the development projects in our community.”
Obong Obosi disclosed that four persons have been arrested in Port Harcourt including the son of a village Head in connection with the kidnapping of the expatriate in the area .
He said the Village Head was arrested and detained but the chief was later released immediately the suspected son was nabbed by the police.
