30 gunmen storm palace, kidnap monarch

UYO — The Paramount Ruler of Esit Eket Local
Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Chief
Ubong Assam, was yesterday, abducted by no
fewer than 30 gunmen, who stormed his palace
at 2a.m.
The kidnappers took the royal father to
Unyeghe village, Mbo Local Government Area in
a car, transferred him to a waiting speedboat
and left for the high seas.
The kidnap, it was learnt, might be in
connection with N2.6 billion compensation paid
by ExxonMobil to the four host local
government communities, which the youths
had rejected.
Although the security personnel attached to the
royal father attempted to rescue him, the
kidnappers’ superior fire power won the day.
The Paramount Ruler, who was sleeping when
the gunmen struck was, according to a source,
not maltreated by the abductors.
The source said the abductors were demanding
N150 million ransom to release the victim, as
their share of the compensation money, which
they claimed they joined in agitating for.
A family source said: “Some of the gun shots
sounded like bomb blasts. The operation was
like an invasion.”
The Esit Eket Divisional Police Officer could not
be reached, but a senior police officer that
identified himself as Ogar, said they had
received distress calls around 2a.m., but that
before Police arrived, the kidnappers had gone.
Youths of Esit Eket, Onna and Ibeno local
government areas of the state, last week came
out to say they had demanded for N26.5 billion
from the oil giant due to the oil spill last year
September, but that the company paid N2.6
billion.
They had alleged that some of the royal fathers
in the area connived with the oil company to
shot-change them.