Gunmen have ambushed a vehicle transporting the corpse of late Ugwuanyi Israel along with family members from Lagos to Nsukka for burial in Enugu State, The Herald reports.
The abduction occurred along 9th Mile Road in the Umuoka community, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. The assailants not only seized the body of the deceased but also abducted all the family members accompanying it.
The incident has raised concerns about the condition of the deceased’s body, given the potential delays in securing the release of the family.
A family source revealed that the kidnappers have established contact with the family and are demanding a ransom of N50 million for the release of the abducted individuals.
The family expressed fears that the corpse might decompose before the kidnappers release them.
“His corpse was on its way from Lagos yesterday (Sunday) when the vehicle conveying his body was halted by kidnappers and people in the vehicle alongside the driver were all kidnapped at Umuoka Udi LGA of Enugu State.
“They called Monday morning to inform us to look for N50 million.
“Our fear is that the corpse will decompose before they release them. We don’t know what to do because our community people in Lagos spent so much money on the sickness of Israel,” a family source told The Nation.