Gunmen free abducted journalists covering Enugu LG election

Gunmen have attacked but later released the news crew of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service, ESBS, who were covering the 2022 local government elections.

The media team comprised a driver, a cameraman, and three reporters. With them was also a reporter with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

Two of the ESBS reporters, Chiamaka Ezeaputa and Chigozie Alex-Nwafor and driver, Ebuka Ogbozor however escaped the abduction.

The driver and one of the reporters, Mrs Alex-Nwafor were said to have narrowly missed being killed. They were attacked at Obeagu in Enugu South local government area on their way to Agbani, Nkanu West local government area.

According to them, the whereabouts of two other team members of the station, Mr. Fred Nnaji and Mr. Monday Ogbodo were unknown even as their phone lines were switched off. The NAN reporter who was with them equally escaped safely.

The gunmen made away with the station’s utility vehicle and camera as well as the crew’s phone, cash, and other valuables.

The newly elected Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Sam Udekwe however told Vanguard that the two abducted journalists were later released but were rushed to hospital.

Udekwe condemned the attack, stating that journalists work for society and are most times prone to dangers.

The local government council election was however marred with voter apathy as few voters presented themselves for voting in polling units monitored in Udi, Oji-River council areas as well as within Enugu metropolis.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Udi local government, Engr. Philip Okoh commended the conduct of the exercise in his polling unit, noting that it was peaceful.

The All Progressive Congress, APC, had on Tuesday protested the exclusion of its preferred candidates, alleging that the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC, chose the candidates for the new leadership of the party in the state.

ENSIEC Chairman, Chief Mike Ajogwu (SAN), however, said that it was the crisis in the state APC that made it adopt a list of candidates submitted by a former caretaker chairman of the party, after the national headquarters of APC failed to respond to a letter the commission wrote to it for clarification on the leadership of the party in the state.