Posted by By George Onah on
The Personnel Manager of Niger Mills in Calabar, Cross River State, Mr. Akon Tawo and his driver who were travelling along the Ogoja-Abakaliki highway were feared kidnapped and possibly killed in the area.
Calabar - The Personnel Manager of Niger Mills in Calabar, Cross River State, Mr. Akon Tawo and his driver who were travelling along the Ogoja-Abakaliki highway were feared kidnapped and possibly killed in the area.
Both men who left Calabar in the company's car for a conference in Awka, Anambra State, through Ebonyi State, were neither seen at the conference, nor returned to their base in Calabar.
Radio announcements in Calabar stated that "the men's mobile phones have remained permanently off." The men who were said to have honoured an assignment in Bekwerra Council in Cross River State, have been missing since July 13, 2005.
Akon, who hails from Etung Local Government in Cross River State, is said to be an albino.
Another radio announcement in Ebonyi State, monitored in the area, stated that the state police command was worried over the change in tactics by the militia of the Izzi and Ukelle people who have been fighting since April 12, 2005.
The Police was quoted as saying that the fighters have adopted the guerrila style warfare, rather than the conventional pattern of frontal engagement in battles.
To this end, the command called on both sides to lay down their arms and return to the conference table in the interest of peace. It also denied speculations that the two warring groups have chased away the mobile policemen deployed to check the fighting.
But Vanguard correspondent who was in the area between Friday and Sunday, observed that the Abakaliki-Ogoja Highway has remained blocked for over five days, yesterday inclusive.