The Akwa Ibom State Police Command confirmed on Sunday the kidnapping of His Royal Majesty, Owong Okon Abang, the paramount ruler of Mbo local government area, from his palace in the riverside community of Ebughu.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Timfon John reported that the State Police Commissioner, CP Waheed Ayilara, and the Commissioner for Internal Security and Waterways, Gen. Koko Essien (rtd), have mobilized police and other security personnel to the area to secure the monarch’s safe release and capture the perpetrators.
It was reported that gunmen stormed the ruler’s palace around 9pm on Saturday, abducted him, and transported him to Ibaka beach. There, he was transferred to a waiting speedboat that quickly took him into the dense waters of the Gulf of Guinea.
The frequent kidnappings in the coastal areas of Oron have alarmed local residents, potentially driving away marine resource traders, such as those dealing in fish, crayfish, and other sea products, from Oron and the neighboring Mbo LGA.
In a related incident, the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had recently called for a strike, affecting both public and private hospitals, following the abduction of Dr. Esu in Oron three weeks ago.
However, last week, the wife of prominent political figure Chief Asukwo Eweme, Ulap Okon, also known as Levile, was kidnapped in Oron, raising further concerns over public safety in the riverine LGAs of the state.
