Gunmen abduct LP chieftain in Abia

Engr. Augustine Uchenna Stephen, a former aide to Abia State’s immediate past governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has been abducted by gunmen.

The kidnapping occurred on Thursday evening as Stephen was driving home from work, ABN TV has reported.

Sources say that the assailants ambushed Stephen, brandished firearms, and forcibly took him and his vehicle to an undisclosed location. His vehicle was later discovered abandoned along the Umuahia-Aba expressway.

Stephen, originally from Umuogo Ubakala in Umuahia South Local Government Area, is a well-known businessman and politician with operations in both Port Harcourt and Umuahia. In a political move earlier this year, he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and formally joined the Labor Party on March 1, 2024, making his declaration at his ward in Umuogo Ubakala.

As of the latest updates, no contact has been made by the kidnappers, and the incident has heightened fears over rising criminal activities, including kidnappings and car thefts, in the Umuahia and Aba regions.

Critics have called out the state government for an inadequate response to these escalating security threats, leaving many residents feeling vulnerable.