Gunmen Abduct Abia Commissioner, Shoot Orderly

Abia State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Lovedey Nwauba, has been abducted by unknown gunmen who shot and wounded his Police orderly.

The Tide gathered that Nwauba, was kidnapped last Sunday in Osisioma area near  Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, where he had gone to watch a local football competition for talent hunt.

His orderly, who tried to rescue him from his assailants ended up receiving several gunshots and is being treated in an undisclosed hospital.

  The kidnappers, according to sources, have contacted the family and demanded an undisclosed sum for ransom.

  A source in the Ministry of Science and Technology, who wants to remain anonymous said that the family has transferred the case to  the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mazi Donatus Okorie, who is said to be currently handling the matter to ensure that the Commissioner regains his freedom soonest and in safe condition.

The source, who witnessed the whole kidnap saga said that the Commissioner was busy watching the local football derby when the kidnappers who had targeted him, made an announcement  that his car was not well parked, requesting him to urgently go and park the car properly.

“As the Commissioner went to park properly, as demanded by the announcement, with his Police orderly in tow, the kidnappers struck. The Police man who tried to save his boss  was shot with the driver seriously wounded in the  process”. 

Abia State Police Public  Relations Officer, Ali Okechukwu, confirmed the incident, saying that the Police orderly was seriously wounded but  was responding to treatment.

  Okechukwu said that the Police has launched serious investigation into the case, vowing that the culprits would be fished out.

Abia State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, John Nwokocha, had earlier Tuesday, while briefing newsmen in Umuahia, alerted Abians of the new trick being employed by hoodlums to kidnap unsuspecting members of the public.

Nwokocha, who made no reference to the kidnapping of his science and technology colleague, simply told newsmen that the new method of kidnapping in the state was making an announcement at public functions demanding that vehicles of important dignitaries were not properly parked and requesting them to come and place their  vehicles properly.

He said the kidnappers promptly would swoop on their target immediately the person emerges in obedience to the announcement and warned Abians to beware of the new trick .