The Police Command in Rivers has confirmed the abduction of Chief Cassidy Ikegbudu, Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Ahoada East Local Government Area.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that Ikegbudu was abducted in the early hours of Saturday.

Muhammad said that the police had received report of the abduction of the council chairman and ``the command is aware of the incident involving the caretaker committee chairman.

''Action has been put in place to rescue him safely,’’ he said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Ahoada East Constituency 1, Mr Eric Apia, told NAN that armed men abducted Ikegbudu from his village, Yiboko, early on Saturday.

''Reports received from his family said there was exchange of fire between security personnel attached to the chairman and the armed men. The armed men later took the chairman away, dragged him to a nearby river and went away in a speed boat,’’ Apia said.

Apia said Ahoada East was supposed to have a re-run election for the House of Assembly and that shooting began last night.