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Thursday, February 11, 2021

Gunmen kidnap NTA reporter in Rivers

“They were two in their private vehicle before the kidnappers overtook them and kidnapped only the reporter.”

• February 10, 2021
Unidentified gunman used to illustrate the story.
Unidentified gunman used to illustrate the story.

Gunmen on Tuesday kidnapped Chidiebere Onyia, a journalist with the Nigerian Television Authority in Port Harcourt.

Peoples Gazette learnt Ms. Onyia was abducted around the Woji railway area at about 8:00 pm local time after the reporter and one of her colleagues in programmes department were returning home from work.

A source at the NTA told the Gazette that “they were two in their private vehicle before the kidnappers overtook them and kidnapped only the reporter covering education and general beats, but left her colleague in the car.”

The Gazette could not immediately confirm the reason for her kidnap.

State police spokesperson, Nnamdi Omoni, did not respond to a phone call and a text message to confirm the incident.

On Friday, bandits kidnapped PUNCH reporter, Okechukwu Nnodim, in his apartment.

Mr. Nnodim was abducted from his house in the Arab Road area of Kubwa, Abuja, on Wednesday night by five gunmen.

According to his wife, Oluchi Nnodim, the gunmen scaled their compound’s fence and demanded that they open their apartment door.
She added that men shot at their windows and ripped off the burglar-proof bar.

“My husband asked me to stay with the children in their room. I heard the men asking him to bring out money. But he told them he didn’t have money in the house,” she said to PUNCH.

Also kidnapped were the two sons of Mr. Nnodim’s neighbour, Ms. Gbeyide, who explained that the men threatened to kill them if they refused to open the doors.

“They took our phones and marched him out of the house. They went to our neighbour’s house and also abducted her two sons,” Mrs. Nnodim explained.

The reporter has now regained his freedom.

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