The Police Command in Adamawa has confirmed the abduction of Usman Sahabi, the Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Adamawa House of Assembly.

Sahabi, a journalist with the Adamawa Broadcasting Cooperation, Yola, was on secondment to the house.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the incident in Yola on Thursday.

Nguroje gave assurance that the command would leave no stone unturned to rescue the victim unhurt.

“Sahabi was kidnapped at gunpoint by unknown gunmen at about 1 am on Thursday in his resident at Wuro-chekke, Yola South Local Government Area,” he said.

Nguroje said that the command was doing everything possible to rescue him alive and also arrest the culprits.

“We have already deployed our personnel to swing into action immediately for his rescue.

“We are also soliciting collaboration with the public to provide us with useful information,’’ he said.

Nguroje promised financial reward for whoever that would provide the command with useful information that could lead to the victim’s rescue.

NAN reports that earlier, the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalist had condemned the incident and solicited prayers for the victim’s safe return.

The council’s Vice Chairman, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the union quickly reported the incident to the security agencies for their intervention.

Ibrahim sympathised with the victim’s family, loved ones and members of the union over the sad incident. (NAN)

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said that no ransom was paid to the abductors of the four female students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) rescued by the military.

Sule disclosed this after paying a thank-you visit to the Commandant, 177 Guard Batallion, Keffi Local Government, Lt.

Reports says that the four students were kidnapped in their residence in Agwan Kare district in Keffi in the early hours of Tuesday, October 10 and taken to unknown destination.

However, after intensive manhunt by the police, military and other security agencies, the girls were rescued on Thursday afternoon.

Inuwa confirmed to newsmen that the students were rescued in the surrounding bushes of Agwan Gauta in Keffi after painstaking efforts by the military officers.

Speaking on the development, Sule said that neither the NSUK authorities nor the military paid any ransom before the abducted students were rescued.

“I am not aware of any ransom.  Once security officials mount pressure on the kidnappers, I don’t think there was ranson.

“There was no ranson paid to the best of my knowledge.

“The university didn’t pay any ransom and neither did the military,” he said.

The governor told newsmen that he was at the barracks personally to convey the appreciation of President Bola Tinubu to the commandant for their efforts in rescuing the girls.

He expressed joy seeing the girls in good health, with their parents making arrangements to receive their daughters back.

He disclosed that the military is putting up additional measures to beef up security not only around the university but on the Akwanga-Abuja highway.

“I am happy and I am here to show great appreciation to the commandant and the other security agents that also participated in the rescue operations.

“The commandant informed me that the police and civil defence also participated along with the community leaders.

“I am happy also to see the parents getting ready to see how they can take over their children,” a visibly elated governor said. (NAN)

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

Women and Youths from Ojali village in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue state, on Friday, barricaded the Otukpo-Adoka-Oweto express way to protest against incessant and unwarranted kidnapping around their communities.

DAILY ASSET learnt that the kidnapping of 11 commuters early in the week triggered Friday’s heavy protest, where 400 vehicles plying the high way were stranded and roadsides economic activities grounded.

A community leader identified as Edache Ochojila, who spoke to our correspondent on phone, said, hardly did a day passed without people being kidnapped along the road.

According to him, about six days ago, about 11 persons were abducted along Otukpo – Ojali – Oweto road and when the villagers contacted the Police, they said there was no ammunition to go after kidnappers, while all efforts to arrest the criminals failed.

“But this morning when we went to search the bush we were able to apprehend one of the suspects. 

On our way back, the police intercepted us and seized the him from us and allowed the others in the bush to run away. 

” As am talking to you, over 400 vehicles are parked here now (that was at about 5:10pm).Yes, we are still blocking the road. It’s a peaceful protest, we are not harming anybody, everybody is rejoicing with us and showing solidarity. 

“For over five hours now, no vehicle has passed through our community. 

We will vacate the road when Police bring the suspects. The motorists coming from Eastern part of the country to Abuja and opposite direction were stranded for hours now”, he stated.

Edache debunked the allegations that youths from the areas destroyed police station and properties in the area.

” How true is that? The Police Commissioner lied that we attacked the police station because they took the suspect and wanted to take him in for further investigation.

” There was nothing like that. They have guns and we do not have weapons, how can we go and destroy their station, it’s not possible”, Edache stated.

But when contacted, the Benue state Commissioner of Police, Batholomew Onyeka confirmed the protest and the arrest of a suspect in connection with the case of kidnapping.

The CP however accused the protesters of destroying the police station at Ojali community because his officers were against jungle justice they were abiut to met out on the arrested suspect.

“They (youths) brought the suspect and police is in custody of the suspect and wanting to transport him to Makurdi but the villagers, the people there wanted to collect the suspect from the police to kill. Is it proper? 

“If you go to the police station there now, you will see that they damaged the police building and the windscreen of the area command’s vehicle. 

“Our people take laws into their hands for no reason. Somebody was arrested; why didn’t you people kill him when he was arrested?, Now when they are with the police, you now want to take the suspect from the police and kill. It’s not the right way of doing things and that’s what prompted all these things but the area now is very calm,” Onyeka said.

He advised the youths not to take laws into their hands but allow the police to investigate, adding ‘that will even afford them the opportunity to get those who ran away.’