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Gunmen abducted Mr. Joshua Rogers, a journalist and reporter with Channels Television, from his residence in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Thursday night.
According to reports, Rogers, who covers the Rivers State Government House for his organization, was trailed after finishing work to his home. The assailants confronted him as he exited his car, brandishing a firearm, and forcibly took him and his vehicle to an undisclosed location around 9 pm.
A source, requesting anonymity, disclosed that Rogers had earlier covered an event at Ndoni in the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara inaugurated a Primary Healthcare Centre. The facility, donated to the state by the PAMO Educational Foundation founded by former Rivers governor Dr. Peter Odili, was inaugurated on Thursday.
Confirming the incident, the source stated, “Yes, he was kidnapped last night at his residence in Rumuosi and taken away in his car by some unknown gunmen. We are appealing to the kidnappers to release him immediately and unhurt. He is just a journalist doing his job and not a moneybags. So I don’t know the purpose of his kidnap.”
Additionally, it was reported that the perpetrators contacted Rogers’ wife and demanded a ransom of N30 million for his release.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, for confirmation were unsuccessful as she did not answer several calls. Iringe-Koko has also not responded to a text message sent to her as of publication on Friday morning.