The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of a reporter with Channels Television, Joshua Rogers, at his residence in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor area of the state.
The command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said the reporter was abducted in the late hours of Thursday.
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She said the police was collaborating with other security agencies to secure Rogers’ early release from his abductors.
She said: “The Rivers Police Command is aware of Rogers’s abduction and efforts are already underway to secure his release.
Although his abductors are yet to make contact, we are working with other security agencies to get him freed.”
NAN reports that Rogers, a Channels Television Government House Correspondent in Rivers State, was abducted at about 9pm on Thursday after returning home from covering an event.
A reliable source, who pleaded anonymity because he wasn’t permitted to speak on the matter, said that Rogers was trailed after he closed from work to his apartment.
The source said: “The gunmen trailed him before he alighted from his car, pointed a gun at him and whisked him away along with his vehicle to an unknown destination at about 9pm.
“We later heard that the kidnappers later contacted his wife and demanded N30 million for his release.”
Another source said that Rogers had earlier in the day covered the inauguration of a Primary Healthcare Centre by Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers State before his kidnap.
The source said: “Rogers was returning to his Rumuosi home from Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area, Rivers State when he was kidnapped.
“I do not understand why the gunmen targeted a journalist that is just doing his job of informing, educating and entertaining the public.
“Journalists are known not to be wealthy, and so the kidnappers should release him immediately and unhurt.”
