Gunmen have kidnapped a prominent businessman in the Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Samuel Ekerenam.

Ekerenam, who owns Hephzibah Mall in the LG, was abducted at the weekend after the hoodlums arrived at his shopping complex and started shooting into the air to scare people away.

An eyewitness, Udobong Asuquo, told our correspondent in Uyo, the state capital, on Tuesday that the man’s driver was killed in the process while the policeman attached to him was injured.

“The incident occurred at about 10pm on Saturday and claimed the life of the driver, while the policeman attached to the kidnapped proprietor of the mall was injured,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a family source who spoke on condition of anonymity because he has not been mandated to speak to the press on the matter, said the abductors were yet to contact the family.

He said, “We are yet to ascertain the motive of the kidnappers, whether the man was seized for ransom or other motives because they are yet to contact the family.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

He said, “The commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, had since deployed tactical operatives to comb the area for the abducted businessman.”

She assured all that the police were on top of the case and that in no time, the kidnapped victim would be rescued unharmed and the perpetrators made to face the full weight of the law.

Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed as fire outbreak engulfed eleven shops at Alayabiagba Boundary market, Ajegunle area of Lagos State.

According to a report by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the cause of the fire was due to an explosion which originated from a gas retailer’s shop.

It was gathered that at the shop, there were gas cylinders of various sizes stored, but explosion occured because of a leakage from one of the cylinders before spreading to other shops in the market.

This was contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, noting that the fire was later curtailed by the agency and other emergency responders.

The statement read in part, “In response to distress calls via the 767/112 Toll Free Emergency numbers at 0920hrs, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, activated it’s Response Team from Onipanu Base.

“Upon arrival of the Eagle response team at the incident scene by 0937hrs, it was observed that some shops at the Alayabiagba market were engulfed by fire.

“Investigations conducted revealed that the explosion originated from a gas retailer’s shop where gas cylinders of various sizes were stored, as a result of gas leakage from one of the cylinders before spreading to other shops in the aforementioned location.

“Collaborative efforts of the cobra team with the fire men at the scene has contained the fire and prevented it from spreading to adjoining buildings.”

Several residents have been admitted to different hospitals after a free medical outreach in Abiriba, located in the Ohafia Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Ogbonnaya Uche, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Umuahia on Tuesday, November 26.

He stated that the hospitalizations were caused by suspected adverse reactions to the medication.

Ogbonnaya reassured the public that medical staff were working tirelessly to stabilize and treat those impacted.

“The ministry is deeply concerned by the consequences of unauthorised outreach.

“Residents should exercise caution regarding organisers of unapproved healthcare events,” the commissioner said.

He also stated that the organizers of the outreach had not obtained the required approvals from the ministry.

The ministry also issued a warning against unauthorized medical outreaches and healthcare events in Abia State, stating that such events would face legal action to prevent similar incidents in the future.

In the meantime, the Abia State Ministry of Health have initiated an investigation into the incident.