Former C'River Lawmaker Released, All His Abductors Reportedly Shot Dead, Weapons Recovered

Former Calabar South councillor, Mr. Anthony Duke has been released after the payment of ransom, but the Nasarawa State Police Command claimed he was rescued by their men. 

Mr. Anthony who works with Bua Cement company was kidnapped in Akwanga-Keffi on Tuesday.

Unconfirmed report said his abductors were all shot and killed by the police on Saturday in their hideout.

In a statement on Saturday, the Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Ramhan Nansel, said the victim was rescued at Angwan Maigini village after a gun duel with the criminal elements.

He said, operatives, after overpowering the kidnappers, recovered one (1) AK 47 Riffle with an empty magazine.

The statement said the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Adesina Soyemi who hailed the officers, warned that criminals remaining in the state would soon meet their Waterloo.

The statement reads, “On 25/1/2022 at about 2150hrs, a distress call was received that, unidentified gunmen blocked the road at Kurmin Shinkafa along Akwanga-Keffi expressway and abducted one Hon. Anthony Duke Effiom, a former councillor in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Anthony Duke

“Upon receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police, CP Adesina Soyemi deployed Police operatives attached to Garaku Division, all the tactical teams of the Command in conjunction with operatives of the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team to go after the Kidnappers.

“Consequently, on 29/1/2022 at about 0100hrs, the operatives trailed the abductors to their hideout at Angwan Maigini Village, where a gun duel ensued; succumbing to the superior firepower, the hoodlums escaped into the forest in different directions with varying degrees of injuries and the victim was rescued unhurt by the Police.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Adesina Soyemi has applauded operatives for a job well done and praised their pragmatic display of gallantry. He, however, warned all criminals to flee Nasarawa State or meet their waterloo”.