The Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area in Delta State, Chief Bright Abeke, has been abducted by armed men in a violent attack that threw the community into panic.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday evening at a hotel along Owumi Road in Sapele, where the attackers stormed the premises and opened fire, causing chaos among guests and residents.
Eyewitnesses said about 15 gunmen arrived in a Range Rover SUV and two other vehicles, shooting sporadically before heading straight for their target and whisking him away to an unknown location.
During the attack, a member of a local vigilante group identified as Ufuoma was shot and rushed to a nearby hospital, though his condition remains unclear.
The assault came less than 24 hours after reports of earlier threats of violence in the area, heightening concerns about worsening insecurity in the region.
Security operatives have since cordoned off major entry and exit points in Sapele as efforts intensify to rescue the abducted council chairman and track down the perpetrators.
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, adding that an anti-kidnapping unit has been deployed to ensure the safe rescue of the victim and arrest of the suspects.
