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.”

By Francesca Hangeior

The Ondo State Police Command, on Tuesday, said it had arrested one prophetess, Mrs Folashade Adekola, over the death of a woman, Jumoke Adesuwa and her newborn baby inside the church.

Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the deceased bled to death from complications after childbirth inside the suspect’s church located in the Oke-Aro area of Akure, the state capital. The baby was said to have also died immediately.

It was also learnt that the suspect was arrested by the men of the command after the deceased’s brother reported the matter at the police station.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, who confirmed the incident, said the prophetess was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

“The case was reported by the deceased’s brother, that the sister died after childbirth in the church and the prophetess is already in custody. Investigations are still ongoing,” the PPRO said.

A source in the family who spoke to PUNCH Metro on the condition of anonymity, because he was not permitted to speak with the media, narrated that someone from the church called the family to inform the deceased’s husband that his wife had been delivered of a baby. The deceased’s husband called a family member and both rushed to the church.

He said, “When we got there, they were told that the baby died after childbirth but that the mother was alive. On sighting the deceased, we saw her in a pool of blood, bleeding profusely. So, we rushed her to a nearby hospital.

“Due to her condition, she was rejected at three hospitals and she died in the process of reviving her in the last hospital that admitted her. To our surprise, we got to the church to collect the baby’s remains and found the corpse in a room. The condition of the room was very worrisome as it did not look like a delivery room.

“We approached the Oke-Aro Police Station in Akure to report the case which led to the arrest of the prophetess in charge. The remains of the woman have been deposited at the mortuary.”