TWENTY-FOUR hours after his abduction, the captors of the traditional ruler of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Council of Delta State, Akaeze Edward, Ofulue III, are yet to initiate communication with neither the palace nor the community.

The monarch was reportedly heading for Igbodo when he was seized from his Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) on Tuesday between Igbodo and Obior at about 4.00pm

The spokesperson for the state Police Command, Celestina Kalu, confirmed yesterday in Asaba that the kidnappers were yet to establish contact with the palace.

Kalu said the police were yet to ascertain if the monarch, who was abducted while his driver was reportedly negotiating a bad spot, was actually kidnapped by suspected herdsmen as being speculated.

A source who pleaded anonymity said the suspected abductors, numbering about six, rushed out of a nearby bush and shot sporadically into the air before seizing the traditional ruler from his stuck vehicle after attempt by the driver to make a u-turn and speed off.

It was gathered that the SUV was later recovered from the spot by a combined team of policemen attached to Igbodo Police Station and a local vigilance group from Igbodo and Obior communities.

Kalu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said her men had been dispatched to comb the forest with a view to rescuing the monarch.

The police image-maker added: “We will rescue him. We are on top of the situation. We have spread our dragnet far and wide. We have dispatched our men to the forest to comb everywhere. The kidnappers are yet to establish contact with the community.