Eket, Youths of Afia Nsit village in Eket Local Government Area have foiled an attempted kidnap of a pharmacist, arresting two suspected kidnappers and handing them over to the Police for investigation.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 16, when the suspects allegedly attempted to abduct Dr. Emerson, owner of Emerson Pharmacy, located at Udofa Street by RCC Road, Eket.
According to eyewitness accounts, the hoodlums trailed Dr. Emerson to his residence and launched an attack as he tried to drive into his compound. “One of them approached my car from behind and tried to force himself in. Another jumped in and pointed a pistol at me,” the pharmacist reportedly told community leaders. In a bid to escape, Dr. Emerson accelerated, forcing the attackers into a gutter, where one suspect was overpowered by youths who rushed to the scene after the alarm was raised.
The youths also arrested another suspect after a woman in the neighborhood reported seeing a barefoot man carrying a suspicious white sack bag. A search of nearby farmlands led to the discovery of the sack containing assault rifles, a pump-action gun, and charms believed to be used by the gang. Two other accomplices, however, managed to escape.
Chairman of Afia Nsit Village Council, Mr. Slessor Ekanem, confirmed the arrests and praised the swift action of the community youths. Similarly, Village Council Chairman Ofriyo, Edidem David Thompson, commended the vigilance of the youths and called for stronger community support to encourage them in the fight against crime.
Former Youth President of Afia Nsit, Comrade Nseobong Dickson, also applauded the bravery of the youths, stressing that confronting armed criminals was a show of courage. He urged authorities and stakeholders to empower the community with security gadgets such as Android phones for intelligence gathering.
Further investigations revealed that the suspects had been lodging at a hotel around James Town junction, Ikot Udoma Road, for about four days, monitoring their intended victim before launching the failed operation.
The suspects are currently in police custody, while efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing accomplices.
