Judex Okoro, Calabar

An associate professor with the Institute of Public Policy and Administration, (IPPA), University of Calabar, (UNICAL) David Ugwu, and a staff of Cross River Newspaper Corporation, Mr Maurice Archibong, have been kidnapped in Calabar, Cross River.

While Prof. Ugwu was picked up by gunmen at his residence at second transformer in Atimbo while watering flowers in the evening, Maurice was abducted on Sunday along Ette Agbor Street in Calabar Municipal at about 9:00pm.

The gunmen shot sporadically in the air to scare residents of the area before whisking away Ugwu.

A witness, Emmanuel Etim, said the professor was watering his flower in the evening when the gunmen arrived shooting sporadically before they took him away through the waterway.

“The way they stormed the residence seemed as if they had been monitoring him for quite a while as they just acted very swiftly without any interruption,” he said.

Archibong was said to have been kidnapped on Sunday along Ette Agbor Street in Calabar Municipal about 9:00pm.

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A witness, Ekpo Asuquo, said the gunmen trailed and accosted him at gunpoint after had been sitting out with friends and wanted to go home.

Asuquo said: “Maurice had stopped over at Ette Agbor street to buy fruits. After that, he strolled down to a nearby drinking joint to meet some friends. Having finished for the day, he stood up to enter his car when four hefty men moved close and pulled out, pointing a gun at him.

“Immediately, they opened fire to scare people around away, then they whisked him away into their waiting vehicle.”

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said Archibong’s son was killed two years ago by robbers who invaded his residence and he was able to identify one of the robbers, adding that the case is coming up on Wednesday.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Irene Ugbo said the police had recovered Archibong’s car, but they were yet to know whether he was kidnapped or not.

“We had a report that his vehicle was somewhere and we had to get the vehicle. We don’t know if it is a case of kidnap because we are still investigating the matter.

“I am aware of the matter; we are working round the clock to make sure they are reunited with their families as soon as possible. We are doing everything possible to make that happen,” she said.