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Kidnappers demand ‘N300m ransom’ for ex-DSS chief’s brother

By Anietie Akpan, Calabar
08 September 2015   |   12:42 am
THOUGH the whereabouts of Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong Ekpe and his wife remains unknown, unconfirmed sources said the kidnappers are demanding N300 million as ransom.
Chief-Asuquo-Ekpenyong-Ekpe

Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong Ekpe

THOUGH the whereabouts of Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong Ekpe and his wife remains unknown, unconfirmed sources said the kidnappers are demanding N300 million as ransom.

Ekpe, the elder brother of former Director General of Department of State Security (DSS), Ita Ekpenyong, was abducted from their Creek Town residence in Odukpani Local Council of Cross River State alongside his wife in the wee hours of September 5.

The captors, who are yet to open communication with the family two days after the incident, were believed to have made the demand through informal means.

The Guardian learnt that the family members, including the erstwhile DSS boss, had remained incommunicado, refusing to take their calls.

The gunmen, whose number could not be ascertained according to sources, gained access to the area in a boat through the shallow creek. An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said: “This is frightening.

Since the kidnap of the father of the former deputy governor, we are not used to this kind of thing. “We cannot believe that even with the presence of soldiers at the Creek Town jetty, this kind of thing can still take place.

We are not safe. The government should please do something”. Another said: “Several armed men just burst into his house on Friday night and whisked them away through the narrow canal here, which is only navigable at high tide, through the access creek into the main beach and into the Calabar River from where they disappeared.” The source said more soldiers had been deployed to fish out the gunmen.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Hogan Bassey, while confirming the incident, said moves were in top gear to ensure their release.

2 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    North:- BOKO HARAM & others
    South:- 419ners & others
    West:- LIERS & others
    East:- KIDNAPPERS & others.
    SSDD or DDSS.

  • Author’s gravatar

    This is why all unregistered SIM need to cancelled immediately and NCC should increase the penalty for non-compliance at an exorbitant price per SIM per day. These kidnappers are making phone calls most probably using unregistered SIMs