Gunmen have reportedly abducted three female staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi state.
The staff identified as Chinenye Orji, Adamaka Anih, and Catherine Temaugee, were kidnapped on Tuesday at Aloma, Ofu local government area of Kogi state, while going for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
It was gathered that kidnappers first fired shots at the vehicle given the speed which the driver was unlikely to stop for them, but luckily no passenger was injured, while the windscreen of the vehicle was shattered.
Those kidnapped are three female staff of INEC, driver’s wife, and the vehicle driver who was later released alongside an elderly woman who was too weak to trek distances in the forest.
The released driver reported that the kidnappers took the remaining six occupants, including the three INEC staff members, into the bush.
The woman, who was also released in the vehicle, said : “We were in the same vehicle with them, going to Awka.
“The driver and myself were released. It happened a little after 3pm. We left the motor park at 9 am from Utako.
“We stayed briefly at Lokoja to eat. We took Anambra Comfort Line.
“We went to Aloma Police Station. It happened a little after Aloma.”
The INEC staff members were deployed to Anambra State for the printing of voters’ registers and other materials ahead of the governorship election scheduled for the first week of November.
At the time of filing this report, Kogi State Police Command was yet to issue a statement.
