Abducted Kogi councillor dies in captivity

Suspected kidnappers have killed Rosemary Adukwu, a councillor representing Ogugu Ward III in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, days after abducting her while she was travelling to Onitsha, Anambra State, to buy goods for her business.

Ms Adukwu was reportedly abducted on 30 September when the commercial vehicle she was travelling in was ambushed around Oji River, near the boundary between Enugu and Anambra states.

The assailants reportedly dragged her out of the vehicle and took her to an undisclosed location in a forest, leaving the other passengers unharmed.

The Chairman of Olamaboro Local Government Area, Ameh Williams, announced her death in a statement on Friday.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the sudden demise of our dear sister and colleague, Hon. Mrs. Rosemary Adukwu, the honourable councillor representing the good people of Ogugu Ward III in the eighth Olamaboro Legislative Council,” the statement read.

Mr Williams said her death was confirmed on Thursday while she was still in captivity.

Family raises concerns

The deceased’s family has raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding her abduction and death, alleging that the kidnappers singled her out from the other passengers and did not contact the family to demand a ransom before her death was reported.

A family source, according to Daily Trust, said Ms Adukwu regularly travelled with the same driver to Onitsha to restock her business.

According to the source, she left for the market on 30 September after confirming with the driver that trading would take place the following day.

“At the boundary community between Enugu and Anambra states, precisely around Oji River, their vehicle ran into a barricade mounted by some people. Thereafter, the hoodlums dragged only her out of the vehicle and took her to an unknown destination. The other passengers continued their journey untouched,” the newspaper quoted the source.

The source said the family became concerned when the abductors failed to contact them for almost a week to demand a ransom.

The family subsequently contacted security operatives, who reportedly tracked the councillor’s phone number.

“On Thursday, a voice announced while receiving the call that the owner of the phone is dead,” the source said.

The source added that the driver and the person who answered the call to the councillor’s phone had been arrested and were assisting security operatives with the investigation.

PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the family’s account of the circumstances surrounding the abduction and death.

Community condemns killing

The President-General of the Ogugu District Union, Samuel Agada, condemned the abduction and killing, describing the incident as barbaric.

In a statement issued alongside the union’s national executive, Mr Agada said Ms Adukwu was a grassroots leader, businesswoman, wife and mother whose death had devastated her family and community.

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“Hon. Adukwu was a dedicated grassroots leader, a hardworking businesswoman and a devoted mother and wife who was only striving to earn a living for her family,” he said.

“This is a painful loss not only to her family and Ogugu Ward III, but to Ubelr District, Ogugu Chiefdom, Olamaboro LGA and Kogi State at large. We condemn this barbaric act in its totality.”

The councillor was reportedly buried at about 1 p.m. on Friday at her family compound in Ogugu Centre.

The spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, Saliu Oyiza Afusat, did not respond to enquiries about the incident as of the time of filing this report.