Gunmen abduct Sapele LG chairman Bright Abeke in brazen hotel attack

By Nosa Akenzua , Asaba                 

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Hon. Bright Abeke, in Delta State, in what many have described as a brazen attack that has heightened fears over insecurity in Sapele LGA.

The incident reportedly occurred on Friday evening at about 7:25 p.m. along Owumi Road in Sapele, a commercial town in Delta State known for its industrial activities and dense population.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the assailants, who arrived in a sport utility vehicle (Range Rover), stormed a hotel identified as Debrofred, said to belong to the council chairman. He was reportedly at the premises at the time of the attack.

According to sources at the scene, the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately, shooting a member of a local vigilante group identified simply as Ufuoma, as well as another yet to be identified victim, before forcibly taking the council boss away to an unknown destination. The sudden attack reportedly caused panic among residents and passersby, many of whom fled for safety as gunshots rang out.

The injured vigilante operative was immediately rushed to a nearby medical facility, although details surrounding his condition remain unclear as of the time of filing this report.

Security operatives are yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but sources suggest that efforts are ongoing to track down the perpetrators and secure the safe release of the abducted chairman.

Meanwhile, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to which the council boss belongs, have reportedly trooped to the hotel and surrounding area, seeking firsthand information and expressing concern over the development.

As at the time of going to the press, the whereabouts of Hon. Bright Abeke remains unknown, while residents and political associates continue to call for swift action by security agencies to ensure his safe rescue.