Following the abduction of two Nollywood actor and actress, Clemson Cornell and Cynthia Okereke, in Enugu last week, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has directed that actors or actresses “should not go to the outskirts of town to shoot films”
The Guild also said that for the films being shot in the cities, they “should ensure that they have adequate security.”
This new directive is coming as the kidnappers of Clemson Cornell and Cynthia Okereke have demanded a ransom of $100,000 before they can be released.
President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, said in an interview that the Guild does not have funds to pay the ransom of their kidnapped members.
According to Rollas: “The Actors Guild of Nigeria cannot set apart funds for rescuing kidnapped actors, because we have not even set aside funds to help ailing actors. The insecurity in the nation is affecting everybody, not only actors.”
When asked how the AGN is planning to raise money for the release of the kidnapped actors, he said, “We are liaising with the family. It is not the guild that is supposed to provide the money. Right now, we are still brainstorming on what to do, while the security operatives are also doing their jobs.
“We have already taken a proactive step to say that actors should not go to the outskirts of town to shoot films. Even the ones who are filming in cities should ensure that they have adequate security.”
Rollas also stated that though a demand for ransom had been made, no ultimatum had been given on when the money should be paid.
Director of Communications, Actors Guild of Nigeria, Mrs Monalisa Chinda-Coker, said in a statement that the families of actress Okereke and actor Clemson Cornel have confirmed they have not returned home since leaving a film location at Ozalla community.
Chinda-Coker, in a statement, said the duo were suspected missing after their family members confirmed they had not returned home from a film location.
Reacting, Enugu Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said “the current report at our disposal dwells on a case of an abandoned and recovered vehicle, as well as a missing person.”
He said the vehicle was abandoned and recovered at Four-Corners on Enugu-Port-Harcourt Expressway, precisely within Ozalla community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State axis of the road.
“On July 29, at about 7:30am, we received information that a red-coloured Toyota RAV4 Jeep with registration number AGL 199 CY was noticed to have been parked in an abandoned way at Four-Corners on Enugu-Port-Harcourt Expressway.
“Hence, the location was visited and the vehicle recovered.
“Coincidentally, at about 11:30am, on the same date, a report was further received stating that the vehicle belongs to one Cynthia Okereke (f), a Nollywood Actress, who was last seen on July 26,” he said.
The Police Spokesperson added that the report at the command’s disposal revealed that only one person was reported to be missing.