Three journalists working for African pay tv sports channel SuperSport were abducted by gunmen on Monday near Owerri, although one escaped on Tuesday.

The journalists, two Nigerians and one South African, were heading to the airport on their way back after producing a live Nigeria Premier League game in Enugu on Sunday.

They were ambushed and attacked by a posse of around 28 gunmen just five minutes from the Owerri airport. The three; Bowie Atama, a commentator, Alex Effiong a cameraman, and Nick Greyling, a South African technical production staff, were taken.

Effiong, however, escaped from his abductors a few hours later.

Another was shot and is receiving treatment, while unconfirmed reports say a bystander is said to have been shot and killed.

Felix Awogu, General Manager of SuperSport Nigeria, said contact had been established with the kidnappers.

“Everything is under control. Our staff are well and we are optimistic that everything will be okay.”

Meanwhile, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Imo State government have begun moves to secure the release of the three sports journalists kidnapped on Monday in Owerri.

Awogu, told Tidesports source, yesterday, in Lagos that the NSC Director- General, Dr Patrick Ekeji, had met with the Imo government on the matter.

He said that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom but his office was not negotiating with them. He did not disclose the amount demanded.

“Ekeji and the Imo State Commissioner for Sports are the ones handling efforts to secure their release,” he said.

Awogu said one cameraman was shot, while another escaped.

Meanwhile, the police in Imo said that they had intensified efforts at finding the kidnappers.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Linus Nwaiwu said: “The command is working painstakingly to put together the shred information at its disposal to ensure the gang is smashed.

“The incident does not in any way suggest that the security of the state is porous or that the police in the state have gone to sleep”.