The women wings of the Nigeria Pensioner Association Cross Rivers State has organized a prayer session for the release of Comrade Ben Ukpepi, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress in the State.
Comrade Ukpepi was kidnapped on Tuesday night at his residence in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo has confirmed the kidnap.
Speaking with DAILY POST at the NLC secretariat in Calabar, on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Women Wing of the Pensioner’s Association, Princess Regina George (Eti Eka) said the Association will not call off its meeting rather; the Association will use the opportunity to pray for the release of the victim.
Princess George said, “We have heard about the kidnap of the NLC Chairman, we cannot call off our meeting because the Chairman has been kidnapped, no, our meeting was scheduled before the incidence, hence we shall continue with our meeting but we will pray for his quick release.
“We pray to God to soften the minds and hearts of the kidnappers to release him, our monthly meeting is to coordinate the affairs of women, take care of those women who cannot come to our meetings”
Also speaking with our reporter, one of the senior members of the Association, Mrs Aya Itam who said to be a retired personal secretary to some ministers and permanent secretaries as well as a parliamentary reporter described the kidnap as a sad one.
“The meeting is a women pensioner’s meeting, we always meet once a month, we used to meet at the Sub-treasury but this time, they brought us here because of the noise of the environment over there.
“We shall pray for God to send fire into the mix of the kidnappers so that they can release him. The kidnapping of the victim is sad, we are in a sober moment” she stated.
At the time of leaving the NLC Secretariat in Calabar, many women were seen weeping uncontrollably over the news of the kidnap of the NLC Chairman, lamenting that the kidnap was one too many.