Imo Tragedy: Gunmen Abduct Newly-wedded Couple, Four Other guests in Obowo LG

Residents of Obowo in Obowo local government area of Imo have been thrown into confusion following the abduction of a newly-wedded couple and four of their wedding guests.

The shocking incident was said to have taken place on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at around 8 pm.The victims, identified as Mr. Chidiebube Bartholomew (the groom) and his bride, were returning from their traditional wedding ceremony held in Mbaise, accompanied by wedding guests in a Toyota Sienna vehicle when they were kidnapped.

The armed kidnappers, said to have operated in a Lexus Jeep, had reportedly followed the victims from the wedding venue to Nwokeisama Junction, Umulogho.

The kidnappers took advantage of their victims when they had stopped to greet family members at a local business centre .

The gunmen struck reportedly opened fire and hijacked a second Lexus vehicle. They forced the victims into the hijacked SUV and sped away amid continuous gunshots.

A source at the scene said, “Security operatives arrived at the scene shortly after the attack and are currently trailing the criminals in an attempt to rescue the victims.

This paper gathered that this is the fourth kidnapping reported in Obowo since the vandalization of the local police station.

Previous abduction incidents were said to have occurred in Ekeja Ehume, the Umuariam area and the Malaysia Market axis, further fueling concerns about the growing insecurity in the region.Uncertainty has pervaded the community as the kidnappers are yet to contact any of the family members of their victims.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, was not available for comments. His phone couldn’t be reached when this paper tried to contact him.