Attempt to kidnap lawmaker fails as gunmen kill two, injure others

Gunmen killed two persons at a traditional marriage ceremony at Uquo community in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom last Thursday. Mr Usoro Akpanusoh, (PDP-Esit Eket/Ibeno) at the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Esit Eket on Tuesday. He said that the gunmen surfaced at the ceremony with intent to abduct him, but he was lucky to escape after struggling with one of them. He expressed appreciation to God that he escaped the kidnap attempt in his home town in Uquo in Esit Eket. “I went for a traditional marriage in Uquo in Esit Eket with the family of the Deputy Political Leader of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in my ward. “After staying for about 40 minutes, I bade the couple goodbye and approached my car. “While attempting to enter my car, I saw a Nissan Sony that blocked it car and a guy came out with AK47 rifle and started shooting sporadically into the air and people thought that he was a policeman. “I saw him pointing the gun at my car and started shooting at people directly and bullets hit two guys,’’ he said. Akpanusoh said that the abductors removed his driver and approached him and drew him out of his car and attempted to abduct him. “Fortunately the driver struggled with the guy and as God would have it, he was able to find his way back to the crowd.” He said that scores of others were injured and were rushed to the hospital. Reacting on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom, SP Odiko Macdon, said that the Commissioner of Police had asked the Divisional Police Officer in Esit Eket to investigate the incident. “We are aware of the attempt to abduct the House member and the police are trying to determine the extent of the crime,’’ he said. (NAN)