Gunmen shoot ex-Anambra Speaker, abduct younger brother
By NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha
Monday, January 5, 2009

Suspected kidnappers heralded the new year with bloody operations at the weekend as they allegedly abducted the younger brother to Chief Barth Onugbolu, former Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly.

During the brief operation that lasted for about 15 minutes, the four-man gangsters also shot and wounded the former speaker on the leg.
The incident, according to the source, started when Onugbolu was leaving the home of a friend near his Adazi-Nnukwu country home in Anaocha council area of the state in company of his younger brother when they noticed that they were being trailed by another car.

The family source said when the chase became too hot, Onugbolu allegedly jumped out of his car and ran into the bush. But his assailants trailed him into the nearby bush and shot him in the leg.
The source stated that when the kidnappers could not take the former Speaker away because of his cries of pain, they took away his younger brother and contacted the family later and demanded for a N5 million ransom.

Eventually, the family allegedly parted with N2.5 million before securing the freedom of the younger Onugbolu. The former Speaker is said to be recuperating in a private hospital, which the family declined to name.

Both the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Fidelis Agbo (SP) and the state deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amusa Bello, told Daily Sun in a telephone chat that they were not yet aware of the incident but insisted that they would quickly verify from the Anaocha police division at Neni.

As at the time of filing this report, it was not yet clear whether the attack on Onugbolu and the abduction of his younger brother were politically motivated.