Izuchukwu OkosiThe Nigerian movie industry known as Nollywood has witnessed some abductions of popular practitioners with the duo of Clemson Nonyelu aka Agbogidi and Cynthia Okereke the latest to experience such evil treatment.
Prime Business Africa exclusively gathered that Cynthia Okereke made a call to her daughter-in-law with the phone provided by the abductors when they demanded the sum of N10m.
It is however unconfirmed if the said sum was the amount that secured her release along with her colleague, Clemson Nonyelu.
Prime Business Africa’s Izuchukwu Okosi here presents the Nollywood Stars who have suffered same fate.
1. Pete Edochie
The Ebubedike 1 of Nteje in Anambra State was kidnapped in 2009 along Nkpor road, a suburb of Onitsha.
The former British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) newscaster who left broadcasting for acting and is popular for the character of Okonkwo played in Things Fall Apart, an adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s blockbuster novel was released after an undisclosed amount was paid as ransom.
2. Nkem Owoh
Still pained by the killing of his brother, Bartholomew, by the General Muhammadu Buhari’s military government for reportedly peddling drugs, Nollywood superstar Owoh best known as Osuofia after the 1996 thriller ‘Osuofia’ also suffered same fate this time on his way to location along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in 2009.
Osuofia’s trauma of losing his sibling interestingly should be remembered by the older generation after the recent efforts of All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay him N10m to endorse his candidacy.
The APC which Tinubu once chaired is the party of the incumbent President, Buhari, the same man who ordered the execution of his brother as then military Head-of-State.
3. John Okafor
John Ikechukwu Okafor known as Mr Ibu has been kidnapped severally and these days the comic actor considers it as part of the sacrifices for being famous.
Ibu has had to face several tribulations, the last being poisoned and had to visit prayer houses for healing.
4. Nkiru Sylvanus, Kenneth Okolie
Actress turned politician Nkiru Sylvanus who was endeared to movie buffs for her emotional roles in movies was kidnapped with colleague, Kenneth Okolie. They however secured their freedom when the Imo State Police Command swung into action.
Both actors recalled that they were denied the opportunity of taking their bathes for two days.
5. Chris Iheuwa
Nollywood actor Chris Iheuwa was abducted by ritualists who posed as movie producers in early 2021 at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The actor who came to our consciousness in Amaka Igwe’s blockbuster, award winning movie, Rattlesnake, was however saved as a result of his ingenuinity as he forwarded the map of his location to his friend’s phone when he sensed danger.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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