The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Enugu State, Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa, has condemned the abduction of a woman and her three sons by gunmen on their family farmland in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state, questioning the effectiveness of the security infrastructure established by Governor Peter Mbah’s administration.
The victims were identified as Mrs Bridget Okey and her three sons, Chukwubuike Okeh, 14, Chukwuemeka Okeh and Chijioke Okeh.
They were reportedly abducted on Thursday, November 5, 2026, while harvesting cassava on their farmland in Ada Village, Ugbene Ajima.
Ohaa, in a statement issued on Monday through his Media Aide, Hon. Sampson Ukwu, questioned the security arrangements of the Mbah administration, particularly the much-publicised Command and Control Centre, CCTV cameras and drones introduced by the state government to tackle insecurity.
The NDC candidate accused the administration of placing greater emphasis on publicity than the actual protection of residents, arguing that the latest incident demonstrated that both rural communities and urban centres remained vulnerable to attacks by criminal elements.
“These innocent citizens simply went to harvest cassava on their own land. Today they are missing, and their family is in anguish,” the statement said.
Reacting to the abduction, Ohaa said the disappearance of a mother and her three children while carrying out ordinary farming activities raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the security infrastructure advertised by the state government.
“A mother and her three children went to farm and never returned. This is the painful reality of life under Governor Peter Mbah,” he said.
“He has spent billions of naira advertising a Command and Control Centre, CCTV cameras and drones. Yet gunmen still operate freely on our farmlands and in our communities. Both urban and rural Enugu remain unsafe.
“Security is not a slogan. It is the first duty of any government. The blood of Ndi Enugu is on the hands of a leadership that prioritises propaganda over protection.”
The NDC governorship candidate further linked the latest abduction to what he described as a disturbing pattern of insecurity, violence and failure to deliver justice to victims and their families in the state.
He recalled the killing of Mr Ifeanyi Christopher Nwolie, a resident of Affa in Udi Local Government Area, who was reportedly shot dead during an attack on the NDC campaign office in GRA, Enugu, on October 10, 2026.
According to the statement, Nwolie was allegedly killed by political thugs because of his support for the NDC, while his family was still awaiting justice over his death.
Ohaa also raised concerns over the death of Mr Friday Nwobodo of Umuatugbuoma, Akegbe-Ugwu, in Nkanu West Local Government Area, who was allegedly beaten to death by task-force enforcers at Garriki Bus Terminal on September 30, 2026.
The statement alleged that Nwobodo’s family had yet to obtain justice, adding that his remains were still in the mortuary while those responsible for his death allegedly continued to walk freely.
The NDC candidate demanded immediate and sustained search-and-rescue operations to ensure the safe return of Bridget Okey and her three sons.
He also challenged the Mbah administration to publicly explain the operational status and effectiveness of the Command and Control Centre, CCTV camera network and drones, which the government had repeatedly presented as major components of its security infrastructure.
Ohaa further demanded justice for the families of Nwolie and Nwobodo, insisting that the state government must address what he described as a growing culture of impunity.
Citing Section 176(2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which provides that the governor of a state shall be its chief executive, the statement argued that Governor Mbah, as the state’s chief executive and chief security officer, bears responsibility for the protection of lives and property in Enugu State.
“Ndi Enugu deserve real security, not propaganda,” the statement added.