Engr. Augustine Uchenna Stephen, a former aide to Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the immediate past governor of Abia State, has been kidnapped by gunmen, ABN TV reports.
According to sources, the kidnapping occurred on Thursday evening while Stephen was driving home from work. The assailants ambushed him, pointed a gun at him, and forcibly took him and his vehicle to an unknown location. His vehicle was later found abandoned along the Umuahia-Aba expressway.
Stephen, a native of Umuogo Ubakala in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, is a prominent businessman and politician based in Port Harcourt and Umuahia.
ABN TV reports that He had recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Labor Party on March 1st, 2024, making his declaration official at his Umuogo Ubakala ward.
As of the latest reports, Stephen’s abductors have not established contact. This incident raises concerns about the escalating cases of kidnapping, car snatching, and violent crimes in Umuahia and Aba.
The state government’s response to these crimes has been criticized, leaving residents vulnerable to criminal activities.
