Gunmen ‘abduct’ Ohanaeze leader in South-east

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Gunmen have “abducted” the National President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Igboayaka Igboayaka, in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.

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OYC is the Youth wing of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Mr Igboayaka was abducted at about 7 p.m. on Saturday in Owerri, the state capital, residents told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.

The youth leader was said to have been double-crossed in Owerri by hoodlums while he was heading to an undisclosed location in the state.

The President of the Igbo National Council (INC), Chilos Godsent, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.

INC is an association of Igbos across the globe committed to fostering Igbo values and strengthening the economy.

Mr Godsent said the “gunmen dressed in black and numbering up to seven” arrived in a Sienna and a Lexus SUV and “forcefully arrested” the Ohanaeze president.

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“On the foregoing, the INC wishes to call on the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (in) Imo State Command to immediately swing into action to determine the identity of the gunmen that forcefully took the President of OYC, Comrade Igboayaka .O. Igboayaka, captive on the evening of Saturday 8th February 2025 in Owerri Metropolis and thus make same public,” he said.

The leader of the Igbo group said the family of the abducted victim and other Igbo groups were worried that mobile phone lines have been unreachable since his abduction.

Meanwhile, there are speculations that those who “abducted” the Ohanaeze leader operated in vehicles which appeared to be those of security operatives.

Some residents believe that Imo authorities might be behind the “abduction” of the victim because of his constant criticism of the state government.

But PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately and independently verify these speculations.

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Police silent

The police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, declined to speak when contacted on Sunday afternoon.

“I am driving,” Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, responded as soon as this reporter enquired about the abduction of the Ohanaeze leader.

About an hour later, the police spokesperson did not respond to subsequent calls and a text message seeking his comments.