Nwakiri revealed that the captors had contacted Ogbonna's wife and told her that her husband was fine. However, he called for Ogbonna's immediate, unconditional, and unhurt release, adding that Ogbonna had not held any position in the state before and was only seeking his daily bread until he decided to go for an elective position. Nwakiri further disclosed that Ogbonna was popular, and people were supporting him, despite his advice against politics of bitterness.
Nwakiri also noted that Ogbonna's media aides had fled due to threats, and they did not know the identity of the faceless people behind the kidnapping. He lamented that such incidents were not how politics should be played and that people should go out, and canvass for votes, and once the people were with them, they would vote for them.
The spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident and said that the command had begun an investigation to ensure Ogbonna's early release and apprehend the suspects. Iringe-Koko stated that the command was aware of the incident and was taking steps to ensure that the situation was resolved as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Ogbonna's supporters have called on the security agencies to act promptly to secure his release. The Accord Party Chairman in Rivers State, Precious Nwakaudu, described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the party was in shock over the development. Nwakaudu stated that the Accord Party was a peaceful and law-abiding party and urged the security agencies to act promptly to secure Ogbonna's release.
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has also condemned the incident and called on the security agencies to ensure Ogbonna's release. Wike expressed his concern about the rising level of insecurity in the state and urged the security agencies to step up their efforts to tackle the problem.
The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also condemned the incident and called on the security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The PDP Chairman in the state, Desmond Akawor, expressed his sympathy with Ogbonna's family and called for his immediate release.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has also condemned the incident and called on the security agencies to ensure that Ogbonna is released unharmed. The APC Chairman in the state, Isaac Ogbobula, called for an end to the rising level of insecurity in the state and urged the security agencies to step up their efforts to tackle the problem.