Abducted Ayade’s adviser rescued

Police in Cross River have rescued a special adviser to the state government in a record five hours after he was abducted on Tuesday morning.

Oscar Ofuka, who advises Gov Ben Ayade on cocoa development, was abducted around 9.30am by gunmen numbering up to 10 on the premises of the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) while attending the flag-off of “cocoa event” by the state’s Deputy Governor, Ivara Esu.

Police said Ofuka was rescued around 2.30pm on the same day.

According to sources, the gunmen that abducted Ofuka are believed to have come from the Force headquarters, Abuja, who allegedly acted on a petition against Ofuka.

A CRBC journalist, Sunny Inah, who witnessed the incident, said Ofuka was accosted on the premises by two men in police uniform.

Two months ago, Ofuka held a press conference in Calabar alleging that a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police in the state has severally sponsored attacks against him, accusing him of not allocating cocoa plots in the state to influential persons.