Police Confirm Abduction of C’River NLC Chairman

The Cross River State Police Command yesterday confirmed the kidnap of the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Mr. Ben Ukpepi.

The police said the NLC chairman was kidnaped in the evening of Tuesday at his residence in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, close to Calabar, the state capital.

Confirming the abduction of Ukpepi, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state,

DSP Irene Ugbo, disclosed that the information gathered by the command showed that the NLC chairman was kidnapped at about 7.30p.m. by some gunmen.

Ugbo said the police received the report yesterday morning.

Ugbo said the police have swung into action to ensure the release of the abducted NLC chairman. “The story of the kidnap of the NLC Chairman is true. He was kidnapped in Akpabuyo in his house.

“We got the report this morning. The Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Unit is on top of the situation to rescue him,” Ugbo said.

A source in the family, who pleaded not to be mentioned, said no contact had been made between Ukpepi’s family and those who kidnapped him.

The source said all the calls put to the phone line of the abducted NLC chairman failed because his phone was switched off.

The source said, “The kidnap of the NLC chairman came as a surprise because he was sitting outside, and later moved into the house. While inside the house his phone rang and he stepped out to answer the call. That was the last we heard from him. After waiting for a while and he didn’t come back into the house, we went outside, and didn’t see him. We became afraid that something may have happened. When we raised the alarm about two people who said they suspected that he has been kidnapped, said they saw about four young men who were armed with guns forcing him into their vehicle, before driving off with him.”