Gunmen abduct INEC official in Akwa Ibom, demand N10m ransom

Unknown gunmen Wednesday, kidnapped one Otobong Sylvester Ukpong, an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) serving at the Akwa Ibom State area office in Ukanafun Local Government Area.

Otobong, a native of Iwukem village in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of the State was said to have been abducted near the Government Primary School, Oruk Ata 2, on the Ukanfun-Azumini expressway.

Brother of the victim, Mbetobong Sylvester Ukpong told DAILY POST that, “My brother was kidnapped at Oruk Ata2, in the early hours of Tuesday, June 5, 2018, on his way to work at Ukanafun Local Government Area office of INEC”.

He said the hoodlums blocked him, while he was going to the office to distribute Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to the electorates in line with the directive of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini.

He said the militants have established contact with the family, demanding N10 million, even as the family leaders lamented that the economic situation had made such demand less realistic.

“They used my brother’s phone number to call the family to disclose their ransom before they release him, but the elders of the family have told them such demand is outrageous for a largely peasant family to pay”, he said.

Unknown gunmen Wednesday, kidnapped one Otobong Sylvester Ukpong, an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) serving at the Akwa Ibom State area office in Ukanafun Local Government Area.


Otobong, a native of Iwukem village in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of the State was said to have been abducted near the Government Primary School, Oruk Ata 2, on the Ukanfun-Azumini expressway.

Brother of the victim, Mbetobong Sylvester Ukpong told DAILY POST that, “My brother was kidnapped at Oruk Ata2, in the early hours of Tuesday, June 5, 2018, on his way to work at Ukanafun Local Government Area office of INEC”.


He said the hoodlums blocked him, while he was going to the office to distribute Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to the electorates in line with the directive of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini.

He said the militants have established contact with the family, demanding N10 million, even as the family leaders lamented that the economic situation had made such demand less realistic.

“They used my brother’s phone number to call the family to disclose their ransom before they release him, but the elders of the family have told them such demand is outrageous for a largely peasant family to pay”, he said.

The Police spokesperson in the state, Macdon Ogbeche when contacted said he was yet to be briefed by the Etim Ekpo Area Command, and added that the CP had visited the area recently following series of killings and abduction of two female students of Obong University, a private University in the area.

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