Kidnappers of prominent Nollywood actors and members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel, have made contact with the families of the stars demanding a total of $100,000 to release them.
This contact according to the Guild was via their families. The actors were reported missing after their family members confirmed they didn’t return home from a film location at Ozalla Town, Enugu state in Nigeria.
Both actors are renowned for starring in movies shot in Enugu and Delta States.
On Saturday, the AGN national president, Emeka Rollas, told a source that “the kidnappers have made contact with the families and are demanding the sum of $100,000. We pray to God for his intervention and for Him to put confusion in their midst.”
He continued; “We are also working closely with the different security operatives, but we are not sure what to expect from them because the same thing is happening everywhere in the country.”
Mr Rollas also said members of the Guild are working closely with the families of the victims and the security forces to ensure their safe release.
Mr Rollas added, ‘‘the kidnappers cleared the monies in Cynthia Okereke’s account this morning’’.
As part of measures to forestall a repeat occurrence, Mr Rollas said that the Guild had ordered its members not to shoot outside of the metropolis and to ensure that they make adequate provisions for security in their locations.
AGN’s Director of Communications, Monalisa Chinda, broke the news of the kidnap of the actors in a press statement.
Ms Chinda said their kidnap had increased fear amongst members about the safety of actors filming in the country.
