Gunmen abduct expatriate, kill two soldiers in Akwa Ibom

Ebun Francis|

Gunmen on Wednesday killed two soldiers and abducted an expatriate in Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom state.

The kidnapped expatriate engineer working with Al Madal construction company was inspecting the construction of Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe and Odoro Ikot to Ukanafun road when he was abducted.

A native of the community, Friday Idiok, who witnessed the incident, told reporters that the soldiers were killed along Idim Okpok mini bridge in Inen Ekeffe the boundary village between Oruk Anam and Ukanafun.

According to him, the gunmen after killing the soldiers, whisked the engineer away.

“There was sporadic shootings here and before you knew what was happening, two soldiers were dead,” he said.

“The gunmen also escaped with the soldiers’ guns and took the expatriate to their hideout. Everybody here is in panic, we do not know what the government will do in this matter.”

Clan head, Johnson Obosi, told reporters that the community was in the middle of the burial of one of its sons when they were startled with gunshots.

He said, “The next report was that two soldiers attached to an expatriate working on the road construction project that links my community with Ukanafun have been killed and the expatriate abducted.”

Odiko Macdon, police public relations officer in Akwa Ibom, confirmed the incident, stating that the command was working with the sister security agencies in the state to arrest those involved in the dastardly act.

He said, “We have received information about the unfortunate dastardly incident at the road project in Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe leading to Ukanafun. We are working with our sister agencies to identity, arrest and prosecute those involved.”