Twenty four hours after the abduction of Mr Chuks Onuoha, former Abia State Correspondent of the Sun Newspapers in his country home, Umungasi Ohuhu in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State, his abductors are yet to let him speak to his family.
The traumatized members of the Onuoha family were in mourning mood when our Correspondent visited their village home on Wednesday.
It will be recalled that Mr Onuoha was abducted in his house on Tuesday at about 10pm by some yet to be identified gunmen who reportedly stormed his living room as the reporter, wife and children were watching television and whisked him away.
A family of member who preferred anonymity said the wife, children and relations were going through excruciating agony as they have not spoken to the their bread winner since Tuesday night when he was taken away by the gunmen.
They pleaded passionately to his abductors to release him without condition to save them from further agony. In the same vein, journalists in the Abia State have appealed to the abductors of Mr Chuks Onuoha to set him free unconditionally and unharmed.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Abia State Council, Mr Victor Ndukwe told reporters after visiting Onuoha’s home that journalists are nation’s builders that should encouraged and not harmed, pointing out that they are not moneybags that should be trailed and harassed or kidnapped for ransom by anybody or group.
However, as the news of the abduction of the journalist spread in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, his colleagues in Umuahia stormed the home of the President General of Ohuhu Welfare Union, High Chief Obi Aguocha, to ask for assistance of the union in ensuring the safety and release of Onuoha.
Responding, Aguocha lamented the spate of insecurity sweeping across Nigeria these days, particularly in this part of the country and charged journalists and security agencies to live up to their responsibilities by ensuring that peace and security return to the society.
The Commissioner of Police in the Abia State Police Command, CP Janet Agbade who was contacted by some journalists earlier said the matter has not been reported to the Afugiri Police Division, but however promised that the police will expedite action on the matter.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
