Police in Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday raided one of the hideouts of kidnappers in the state and rescued a white woman.
The woman, a Romanian, identified as Mrs. Adriana Uko, was said to have been abducted in her office in Eket Local Government Area at about 8:30am on Monday.
Uko was whisked away by four bandits in her Toyota Corolla car with registration number BB 321 KSF and driven to Ntirukpan village in Uruan Local Government Area.
Confirming the development, the state Deputy Commissioner of Police. Mr. Nasiru Oki, explained that Uko, who is married to a Nigerian, was freed after the police stormed the hideout of the kidnappers.
Oki pointed out that the police had earlier found Uko‘s car where it was abandoned by the hoodlums and concluded that the whereabouts of Mrs. Uko would not be far from the point where her car was carefully parked.
He disclosed that the kingpin of the kidnapping syndicate, whom he identified as Ebiok Ifok, escaped with gunshot injuries, adding that the police were still on his trail.
”On searching the place, we recovered one AK-47 rifle with three fully loaded magazines and a locally-made revolver pistol with four ammunition.
”We also arrested the wife of the kingpin and the village head of Nturukpan, Chief Effiong Bassey. Our investigation revealed that the village head knows much about the activities of kidnappers within Eket.” Oki stated.
Narrating her experience in the hands of her abductors, Uko said she was in her office when four men forced their way in and bundled her into her own vehicle.
Uko, who was still shaken by the development, told newsmen that after a long drive, her abductors took her to their hideout.
According to her, ”When I started crying, they told me that it was in my own interest to stop crying.”