By Chidi Nkwopara, OWERRI.

Security agencies operating in Imo State were again floored Monday morning, as about four dare devil hoodlums snatched a Lebanese national supervising the road rehabilitation work along Okigwe Road, Owerri.

This is happening barely one week after gun-totting hoodlums reportedly kidnapped three people at the Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral Roundabout, Owerri.

The engineer, whose name could not be ascertained as at press time, was engaged by Roy Construction Company.

According to eye witnesses, he was kidnapped at 9.25am, at the new roundabout being constructed at Orji Junction, along the Owerri-Okigwe road.

Vanguard gathered that one of the hoodlums, disguised as an officer of Imo State Ministry of Works and Transport, approached the Lebanese and pretended that he wanted a brief on the extent of work.

A villager, who spoke on strict grounds of anonymity said: “It was at this point that other fully armed members of the gang came out of a standby ash-coloured Toyota Camry saloon car, dragged the Lebanese into the car and drove off”.

As news of the kidnap spread like wildfire, other expatriates working on other construction sites scampered into their waiting vehicles and drove to safe havens.

Two Toyota Hilux vehicles belonging to the construction company were seen speeding away from the Ugwu Orji construction site, where the construction of a fly-over bridge is in progress.

When contacted, the State police command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Linus Nwaiwu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said he was yet to get any official report on the matter.