A police guard attacked by the gunmen is said to be in a critical state.

The police in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria's south-south, have confirmed the abduction of Samuel Ekerenam, a staff member of Chevron Nigeria Ltd.

He is also the owner of Hephzibah Shopping Mall, located at Afaha Uqua Obok-Idim Road in the Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

Timfon John, the police spokesperson in Akwa Ibom, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Eket on Tuesday.

Ms John, an assistant superintendent of police, said the incident happened on Saturday at about 10:55 p.m. at his Hephzibah Shopping Mall in Eket.

She said the gunmen abducted the victim after killing his personal driver and attacking his police escort.

"The Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo and his tactical commanders have visited the scene of the crime, and efforts are in top gear to rescue the victim unhurt," Ms John said.

NAN recalls that the victim's wife, Glory, was kidnapped in Eket on 17 October 2019 and kept at the kidnapper's den at Ikot Ubo in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of the state.

A family source, who did not want his name mentioned, said the victim came back from work that same day he was abducted

He said that the police officer was in a critical state in an unknown hospital in the state.