LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Kidnappers of a journalist, Mrs Priestba Anthony Nwokocha, Director of news, Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC), have reportedly demanded a sum of N150 million naira ransom to effect her release.
Recall that Gunmen, on 21 July, abducted Nwokocha, a senior journalist and staff of the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, Port Harcourt.
The kidnappers’ demand was made known to the public by her husband, Mr Anthony Wokocha, when members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors NGE resident in Rivers State paid a visit to the family on 24 July to empathize with them on the sad incident.
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Mr Wokocha told the editors that his wife was on her way from work when she was kidnapped by gunmen.
According to him, the incident happened at about 8 pm when her vehicle broke down, and they were trying to fix it around the Golf Estate Highway, Trans Amadi Port Harcourt.
He said the kidnappers contacted him and asked him to arrange N150- million ransom if he wanted his wife to regain her freedom.
Mr Wokocha said the matter was being handled by a special unit of the Nigerian Police in charge of cases of kidnapping with the knowledge of the State Police Command Headquarters.
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Meanwhile, the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has called on the security agencies in the State to ensure the unconditional rescue of Mrs Nwokocha to enable her to reunite with her family and continue her service to society.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Stanley Job Stanley and Secretary, Ike Wigodo, NUJ condemned the alleged kidnap, describing it as inhuman, wicked and insensitive, especially against a journalist working for the good of the society.
The Union also charged the security agencies to ensure the arrest of Nwokocha’s abductors and bring them to book to serve as a deterrent to other criminals in the state.
“The Union was informed that Mrs Nwokocha, who is Director of News, Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, was allegedly whisked away on Friday night by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.
“She was abducted at a gunpoint at about 8:00 pm after close of work along Ogonigba/ Elelenwo bridge leading to the old Slaughter Market in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State,” the statement read.
