Police begin investigation into abduction of supermarket owner in Imo

Gunmen have reportedly kidnapped one John Ugorji, the owner of Johnny supermarket and pharmacy, at Ikenegbu layout in Owerri, the capital of Imo.

A source who witnessed the incident on Friday said the kidnappers shot at irregular intervals into the air to scare away people before they swiftly abducted Ugorji from the scene.

“The incident happened between 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm while he was driving home in his jeep,” the source had confirmed.

“He was accosted at his pharmacy but he tried to flee the gunmen when one of his car tyres got stuck in a gutter. They now pulled him out of his vehicle and bundled him into theirs and zoomed off to an unknown destination.”

Speaking on the incident on Sunday, Okoye Henry, said the family of the victim has not reported the incident to the police, adding that “maybe they have been threatened by the kidnappers not to report”.

He said on receiving the report on Friday, the command had sent officers to the Ikenegbu layout where the incident happened, but the officers were only able to recover the vehicle of the victim.

Henry said the command has intensified efforts on the matter and has expanded its intelligence to get to the root of the case.

He appealed to the family members of the victim to report to the nearby station in order to help the police with the necessary information that may help to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The DPO of the police station close to Ikenegbu on hearing of the incident quickly sent teams to the scene but only the victim’s vehicle was recovered at the time,” he told TheCable.

“As I speak now, the family of the victim is yet to come to tender a report of the kidnap to the police. I’m appealing that they should come to do this so we can have the necessary information to solve the case.”

According to reports, Ugorji is from the Umueshi community in the Ideato-south LGA of Imo and is said to be one of the foremost operators of supermarkets in Owerri.