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Gunmen have kidnapped an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Enugu State, south-east Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the victim, Emeason Chima, was kidnapped on Saturday near Maduka University in Ekwegbe, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Chima is attached to the Ugbokolo Unit of the FRSC Command in Benue State, north-central Nigeria.
Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Chima was abducted while he was driving alone along the area.
An official of the FRSC in Enugu State confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday afternoon.
The official, who asked not to be named because he was not permitted to speak on the matter, said FRSC officials were notified of the attack in a message circulated via their WhatsApp group.
“It happened yesterday (Saturday). We all got a circulated message that he was abducted,” the official said in a mixture of Igbo and English languages.
When contacted on Monday night, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Enugu, Frank Agbakoba, confirmed the kidnap to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Agbakoba said Mr Chima was returning to the Ugbokolo Unit when he was attacked by the hoodlums.
“As of an hour ago, the kidnappers demanded N5 million as ransom,” he said on Monday night.
Police silent
The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to calls and a WhatsApp message seeking his comments.
Increased kidnap attacks
Like other parts of Enugu, cases of kidnap-for-ransom along the Opi-Nsukka-Ugwogo-Nike Road have increased in recent times.
Civil servants, business owners, politicians and even students have become targets of such attacks in the area lately.
READ ALSO: Ex-local lawmaker arrested over alleged kidnap attempt
No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnap of the FRSC official although separatist group IPOB has been blamed for the frequent attacks in tne region.
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