By Bayo Etema
Gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a former Cross River State Accountant General, Mrs. Rose Bassey, and three other-yet-to-be identified persons along Uyanga-Ikomita axis of the Calabar-Ikom Highway.
Mrs Bassey, who served as Accountant General during the Administration of former Governor Donald Duke in Cross River State, was kidnapped on Tuesday evening while returning from her farm.
They were abducted by gunmen who laid siege on that axis of the busy highway by shooting at the traveling motorists to force them to stop.
It was also gathered that
a popular cleric in the state, Evangelist Edim Edim Omin was also shot during the incident but he luckily escaped with bullet wounds and he is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The Network gathered that the kidnapped former account general was in company of her driver and was abducted at about 5pm on Tuesday on her way back from her farm at Ekpri Iko after Iwuru in Biase LGA.
This is coming barely 24 hours that the state police Command said it has deployed tactical teams, including the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad to that axis of the highway to safeguard motorists and commuters plying the highway.
During a visit to that axis of the highway by Journalists on Wednesday, various security personnel’s were sighted on the road including , Anti Kidnapping Squad, Operation Akpakwu, operation Sting, Operation Restore peace stationed at different points of the road.
Police spokesperson in Cross River State, SP Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident, said the Command is working to see that the abducted persons are released unharmed.
She reiterated that the Command is working to see that normalcy return to that axis of the highway.
Recalled that the Uyanga-Ikomita axis of the Calabar-Ikom highway has become notorious for kidnappers in the last eight weeks.
Atleast 15 persons, including two medical doctors in the state, have been abducted on that axis of the Calabar-Ikom highway.