Gunmen Abduct Ohanaeze Youth Leader in Imo

A prominent figure in the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Comrade Igboayaka Igboayaka, has been abducted by unknown gunmen in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.

Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen, about seven in number and dressed in black, ambushed Igboayaka within the Owerri municipality. The attackers reportedly arrived in a Sienna minivan and a Lexus SUV before forcefully taking the OYC leader away.

Chilos Godsent, the President of the Igbo National Council (INC), confirmed the abduction on Sunday, revealing that the incident took place on the evening of Saturday, February 8, 2025, at around 7 pm.

“We received the unfortunate news on Saturday that gunmen dressed in black and numbering up to seven arrived in a Sienna and a Lexus SUV and forcibly ‘arrested’ Comrade Igboayaka at Works Layout, Owerri, Imo State,” Godsent explained. He added that efforts by Igboayaka’s family, friends, and OYC members to contact him after the abduction were unsuccessful, as his phone lines were switched off immediately.

Godsent urged the Imo State Police Command to take swift action to identify the gunmen and bring them to justice. He expressed concern for the safety of Igboayaka and his followers, who have been left in confusion following the abduction.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Imo State, Henry Okoye, when contacted, said he had not yet been briefed about the incident.