Emeka Rollas, the national president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, said that the abductors of the two Nollywood actors, Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel, mocked him on Monday when he told them about N1.2 million raised as ransom to free them.
He said the terrorists scornfully laughed at him expecting that the Nollywood celebrities should raise the ransom as they posted the incident on Instagram.
Recall that Okereke and Cornel who are also AGN members were abducted last week Friday in Enugu as announced by the Guild’s Director of Communications, Monalisa Chinda.
In a video seen by Vanguard on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Rollas urged his colleagues in the film industry to contribute more to raise the ransom as N1.2 million seemed to be inadequate to secure the freedom of the entertainers.
AGN helmsman also appealed to the artistes not to broadcast the information on social media, adding that the assailants monitor their activities on Instagram
Rollas said: “Good morning, esteemed colleagues. This is to brief you about the happenings over five days now on our two colleagues abducted a few days back. The situation still remains the same but we are believing God to do His miracles and wonders at this point in time.
“Yesterday, while talking to the abductors, we were trying to explain to them that we were putting some funds together, we were contributing. We said that we had about N1.2 million. And they started laughing at us.
“They started mocking us and saying ‘all those your celebrities posting on Instagram, how much have they contributed?’ Immediately, it got to me that these people are watching us. It is not the best time to circulate this information on Instagram.”
Rollas said a bank account has been dedicated for the actors to contribute and raise the ransom.
He added, “Therefore, we have dedicated an account, the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Enugu chapter, Zenith Bank for us to make little contributions. I urge all of us to see to it that we make these contributions because we do not know who will be in this kind of situation.
“But we pray to God that none of us will have this kind of experience. I want to thank all of you for your calls, all your advice, and all your contributions, knowing that it is our own problem. Thank you. God bless you.”
