Gunmen stormed the Hephzibah Mall in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Saturday, November 24, 2024, abducted its owner, Samuel Ekerenam, killed his driver, and injured his police orderly.
It was gathered that the assailants arrived at the victim’s shopping complex and began shooting sporadically to scare people away.
An eyewitness, Udobong Asuquo, told reporters on Tuesday that the gunmen, having taken control of the area, whisked the victim away.
He said, “The incident occurred at about 10:00 pm on Saturday, claiming the life of the driver, while the police officer attached to the kidnapped proprietor of the mall was injured.”
Meanwhile, a family source who pleaded anonymity revealed that the kidnappers had yet to make contact with the family.
“We are yet to ascertain the motive of the kidnappers—whether the man was seized for ransom or other reasons—because they have not contacted the family,” the source stated.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Timfon John, confirmed the incident and disclosed that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Joseph Eribo, who has a zero-tolerance policy for crime, had already deployed tactical operatives to track down the abductors.
She assured the public, saying, “The police are on top of the situation, and very soon, the kidnapped victim will be rescued unharmed, and the perpetrators will face the full weight of the law.”
