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.
Rogers, who covers the Rivers State Government House for his organization, was reportedly trailed after closing from work to his residence. The assailants intercepted him before he could alight from his car, brandishing a gun, and forcibly took him, along with his vehicle, to an undisclosed location around 9 pm.
According to an anonymous source, Rogers had earlier covered an event in Ndoni, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara inaugurated a Primary Healthcare Centre donated to the state by the PAMO Educational Foundation, founded by former Rivers governor, Dr. Peter Odili, on Thursday.
The source expressed concern over Rogers’ safety, appealing to the kidnappers to release him unharmed, emphasizing that he is a journalist merely performing his duties and not a person of wealth or influence.
Reports indicate that the kidnappers have contacted Rogers’ wife, demanding a ransom of N30 million for his release.
Efforts to confirm the incident from the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, were unsuccessful as she did not respond to several phone calls and text messages sent to her as of Friday morning.
