Two soldiers were killed by suspected kidnappers at a road construction site in Ukanafun council area of Akwa Ibom.
An expatriate, working with Al Madal Construction Company, was also kidnapped by the same people.
The incident happened on Wednesday while the expatriate was inspecting the construction of Ukanafun road construction project.
According to an eyewitness, Friday Idiok, the soldiers were killed while escorting the expatriate during the inspection.
Idiok said the kidnappers took custody of the expatriate when they discovered the two soldiers were dead.
He said, “There was sporadic shooting here, two soldiers were killed. The gunmen also escaped with the soldiers’ guns and took the expatriate to their hideout. Everybody here is in panic. We do not know what the government will do on this matter.”
Speaking on the incident, Obong Johnson Obosi, the clan head of Inen, said the community was doing the burial of one of their sons, Udoimo, when they heard gunshots and the residents ran away.
“The next report was that two soldiers attached to an expatriate working on the road construction project that links my community with Ukanafun have been killed and the expatriate abducted,” he said.
Obosi, who could not establish the nationality of the kidnapped expatriate, said soldiers from Ibagwa barracks arrived in their ambulance and carried the corpse of the soldiers to the morgue.
Confirming the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria, on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom, SP Odiko Macdon, said the command was aware of the incident and was working with the sister security agencies in the state to arrest those involved.
“We have received information about the unfortunate incident at the road project in Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe leading to Ukanafun. We are working with our sister agencies to identify, and arrest and prosecute those involved,” he said.
Macdon appealed to residents of the community to remain calm and go about their normal duties, promising that security operatives would apprehend the culprits and bring them to book.
