Tension has gripped Sapele and its environs following the abduction of the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Bright Abeke, by suspected gunmen.

The council boss was reportedly kidnapped at about 7 p.m. on Friday when heavily armed assailants stormed a hotel along Owumi Road in a brazen attack that sent panic across the area.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the gunmen, numbering about 15, arrived at the scene in a Range Rover SUV and two other vehicles. They were said to have fired sporadically to disperse residents and guests before whisking the chairman away to an unknown destination.

Sources within the community said the attackers moved directly toward their target upon arrival, suggesting a premeditated operation.

During the attack, a member of a local vigilante group identified simply as Ufuoma was reportedly shot. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, though his condition had not been confirmed as of press time.

The incident has sparked fear among residents, many of whom expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the area. Political associates, particularly members of the All Progressives Congress, have since gathered at the scene, seeking information and expressing anxiety over the chairman’s safety.

As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of Abeke remained unknown, while calls intensified for swift intervention by security agencies to secure his release.

Security operatives have reportedly cordoned off major entry and exit points in Sapele as efforts to rescue the abducted chairman continue.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Command, Bright Edafe, said the command had launched a coordinated operation to rescue the victim.

In a message, Edafe disclosed that the Commissioner of Police had directed the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit to deploy all necessary resources to ensure the chairman’s safe rescue and the arrest of the perpetrators.

The abduction occurred less than 24 hours after suspected gunmen reportedly issued threats to unleash violence in the area, raising fresh concerns over escalating insecurity in the locality.