Pete Edochie: Kidnappers demand N10m ransom

Source: http://nigeriafilms.com
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Pete Edochie

The kidnap of Chief Pete Edochie on Sunday has already begun to take its toll on the movie industry especially in the South-East.

As at Monday, major operators in the industry have gone into hiding, while activities in the industry suffered nosedive as many could not turn up for appointments.

This is coming just as the kidnappers of the frontline Nollywood actor have established contact with his family and demanded N10 million ransom.

According to reliable family source who pleaded anonymity, “the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million but after we pleaded with them to come down on their demand, they came to N10 million.”

Stating that Edochie was hale and hearty as they had spoken with him, the source stressed that the family was still urging the kidnappers to come to the level the family could afford.

He said: “Pete as a Nollywood star is only popular but not rich and, therefore, raising such amount will be too difficult for the family, we have been running around since Sunday evening when he was kidnapped to raise some money to secure his freedom but it has not been easy.”

Meanwhile, the President, Anambra State Chapter of Actor Guild of Nigeria, Chief Iyke Ezenagu, told Daily Sun on Monday that the industry had started counting losses over the kidnap of Edochie.

He said: “Do you know what that means to the industry? What it means is that movie production in Nigeria or at least in the South East is as good as dead. That also means that a lot of people who are actors and operators in the industry have been thrown out of job and that is a bad development.

“If I tell you how much have been lost so far since Chief Pete Edochie was kidnapped, you will be surprised but at any rate with prayer God would touch these people's hearts to release him and also stop all these things that they are doing.”

From GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka