Gunmen kidnap Anambra lawmaker

Okechukwu Okoye, a member of the Anambra state house of assembly, has been kidnapped.

Okoye, an indigene of Isuofia, the same community as Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, was kidnapped in Aguata on Sunday alongside Cyril Chiegboka, his campaign director.

Toochukwu Ikenga, police spokesperson in Anambra, confirmed the incident to NAN.

He said the lawmaker’s black Siena SUV, which he was driving before the incident, had been recovered.

Ikenga added that the police have launched a manhunt for the kidnappers.

Meanwhile, the governor has condemned the abduction of the lawmaker and Chiegboka.

In a statement issued through Christian Aburime, his chief press secretary, Soludo also condemned the spate of insecurity across the state in recent times.

“The governor restates that the current spike in cases of kidnapping and killing of innocent citizens undermines the sanctity of human lives and no one or group has the right to take human life with such gross impunity,” the statement reads.

“Governor Soludo, therefore, sympathises with families of those who have directly or indirectly lost their loved ones and re-assures that the government is doing everything possible with the security agencies to restore peace and security to the state in accordance with the law.”

The development comes days after Okoye obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in his bid to seek re-election on the party’s platform.