From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Armed men suspected to be kidnappers, have abducted an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) Benue State Command, identified as Simon Agbo at his residence in Makurdi, the state capital.

A close relation of the  victim  who disclosed this to our correspondent on phone on Monday in Makurdi, said the officer was busy discussing with two of his direct neighbours on Sunday night May 11, 2025 at about 7:15pm before they came to kidnapped him.

He said the incidence happened at opposite  NKST church Kuan, behind modern market in Makurdi, after the kidnappers stormed the compound and took him away at gunpoint to unknown destination.

Our correspondent gathered that the kidnappers who were well armed first fired gunshots sporadically in the air to scare family members and neighbours of the victim before abducting him from his residence.

It was further  gathered that the victim was serving in Kwara State before he was redeployed to Benue State command on February this year.

Upon hearing his abduction, youths in the whole community in collaboration with local vigilantes immediately launched a search throughout the night but the gunmen could not be caught.

Younger brother of the victim, who simply identified himself as Mr. Agbo told our correspondent that one of the victim’s neighbours have been apprehended in connection with kidnapping of the immigration officer, hence his role before the incidence took place.

According to him, the neighbour whom he refused to mentioned his name, was consistently calling on the victim to come home or he should direct him to his location as at that time, that they needed to see that fateful Sunday night by all means.

“After persistent calls, that my brother should  come home or if possible, describe his whereabout, then,  my brother came home and went straight to that his neighbour’s compound.

“While they were at the compound discussing, another of their neighbours came to joined them and all of a sudden, the gunmen arrived the compound and  immediately went straight to the immigration officer, picked  only him at gunpoint, leaving the remaining two people behind.

“The neighbour’s action looks very suspicious and that is why we called for his arrest. He has been arrested and currently in police custody until our brother is released.

“As I speak with you, the kidnappers have opened discussion with the family. They are demanding for N20 million ransom for his release as at today”, he said.

The Public Relations Officer of the  Nigerian Immigration Service NIS could not be reached for comment as at the time of filing this report.

Efforts to get confirmation from police was unsuccessful as the Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Sewuese Anene, is yet to receive calls or respond to text messages sent to her cell phone

ReplyReply allForwardAdd reaction

 British King Charles is to host French President Emmanuel Macron on a state visit to the UK from July 8-10, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The French leader and his wife Brigitte Macron would stay at Windsor Castle and will be feted with a state banquet at the historic Berkshire royal residence.

Buckingham Palace said: “The President of the French Republic, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Mrs Brigitte Macron, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom in July.

“The President and Mrs Macron would stay at Windsor Castle.”

The King and Queen paid a state visit to France in September 2023 and enjoy a warm rapport with the French leader and his wife.

Camilla embraced Mrs Macron when they met again in December in London to give out prizes at the Entente Litteraire Prize award ceremony, an Anglo-French initiative which celebrates books aimed at teenagers and young adults.

Ongoing refurbishments at Buckingham Palace mean state visits have been relocated to Windsor for the foreseeable future.

The invitation to Mr Macron, for what would be his first state visit to the UK, comes eight years after he took office.

The last state visit to the UK from France was in March 2008 when President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni also stayed at Windsor as the late Queen Elizabeth II’s guest.

The event would be seen as a bid by the UK Government to strengthen ties with Europe and protect its economy after the turmoil sparked by U.S. president Donald Trump’s tariffs.

It is taking place ahead of Mr Trump’s invitation to meet the King, which is reportedly being arranged for September.

The UK struck an economic deal with the American leader a earlier which cut tariffs on car exports and reduced tariffs on steel and aluminium, and kept a 10 per cent baseline tariff on most goods.

The Government is currently in talks with the EU regarding its trade and security relationship ahead of a summit later in May.

The King, who is still being treated for cancer, has a busy run of engagements in the coming weeks including an overseas visit to Canada to open the country’s parliament at the end of May. (dpa/NAN)

 Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja ahead of the hearing of the claim by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, that the lawmaker recently flouted the court order.

Justice Binta Nyako had, on Monday, fixed today for the hearing of the contempt claim by the senate president against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Justice Nyako also said she would hear the earlier contempt charge filed by Natasha against Akpabio, the Senate and others over allegations of disobedience to earlier court order.