- Abducted Benue Commissioner regains freedom
A serving Youth Corps member simply identified as Adenike and about eight others were reportedly kidnapped on Tuesday night after unknown gunmen suspected to be armed bandits stormed Arab Road Extension 2 in the Kubwa district of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Point gathered that a resident was also shot dead during the operation as the assailants reportedly invaded the area shooting aimlessly.
Sources claimed that the bandits entered the Arab road extension from a hill which serves as a buffer for residents of the area.
It was gathered that, Adenike, the only daughter of her parents, was abducted when the bandits stormed some buildings along the Arab road, shooting sporadically.
Two persons, according to reports, were said to have been hit by the gunshots resulting in one allegedly dying on the spot while the other was rushed to the hospital after the bandits made away with the victims abducted.
“Apart from the Youth Corper, we are looking for seven other residents. Nobody can sleep anymore. It was like a war zone the way they were shooting. Luckily two of those kidnapped escaped. That is how we knew seven persons were taken away”, a resident claimed.
“From Amilomania Street, they moved to Toyin Street, all in Extension 2 Relocation, along Arab Road, in Kubwa,” the source said, noting that one of the victims shot dead is a popular tailor in the area.
According to reports, vigilantes are stationed at strategic positions on the street but the bandits resorted to using the hilly area to avoid a fight back.
Meanwhile, the abducted Benue State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Ekpe Ogbu, has regained his freedom.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by Colonel Paul Hemba (retd), the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Samuel Ortom.
He said that more details on his release will be made available soon.
It is yet to be ascertained if any money was paid as ransom to secure the commissioner’s release.
Ogbu’s release comes two days after he was kidnapped at the notorious Adankari Junction along the Otukpo-Ado Road in the North-Central State.
The state government had on Sunday explained that the Hilux van the victim was traveling in has been recovered by the Police in Otukpo, vowing to rescue the commissioner unhurt.
