Kidnappers free oil worker in Akwa Ibom

The police in Akwa Ibom State have confirmed the release of an abducted oil worker in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Samuel Ekerenam.

Mr Ekerenam is a Chevron Nigeria Ltd staff member and the Hephzibah Shopping Mall chief executive officer in Eket.

Timfon John, the police spokesperson in Akwa Ibom, disclosed Mr Ekerenam’s release to the News Agency of Nigeria in Eket on Friday.

The oil worker was abducted on 23 November 2024 at about 10 p.m. at his business premises along Afaha Uqua Obok-Idim in Eket, after the kidnappers shot dead his personal driver and injured the police operative attached to him.

Ms John, a deputy superintendent of police, said the abducted man was freed on Wednesday, 8 January, in the evening to his family at Eket.

It is unclear if a ransom had been paid before his release.

“He is currently on medical checkup in an unknown hospital,” Ms John said. “Investigation is on to arrest the suspects.”

NAN previously reported that the victim’s wife, Glory, was kidnapped in Eket on 17 October 2019 and kept at the kidnapper’s den at Ikot Ubo in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of the state.

There have been some abductions lately in Eket, a town which hosts some critical facilities belonging to Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited.

In June last year, an entrepreneur, Benjamin Unwuka, was abducted by gunmen in Eket.

According to the police, the victim is from Anambra State and owns Obico Shoppers Mall at Uqua Road, Eket.

NAN quoted an unnamed family source as saying that the victim was abducted at about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, 30 June, on his way back from his shop.

The report said the gunmen, driving a black, unregistered Toyota Corolla car, trailed the victim from Uqua Road, accosted him on Afaha Eket Road and whisked him away at gunpoint to an unknown destination.