Gunmen have abducted eight men in the Nyalun community, Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State.
The victims were returning home on Tuesday evening after processing charcoal when attackers stopped their vehicle and forced them into captivity. A youth leader in Wase, Shapi’i Sambo, confirmed the abduction on Wednesday, saying that although ten people were initially taken, two were later released in Garga, Kanam Local Government Area, to deliver a ransom demand.
“The attackers intercepted the vehicle around 7:30 p.m. and seized the occupants. This is particularly shocking as the victims were simply trying to earn a living,” Sambo stated.
The abducted men have been identified as Hassan Sa’idu, Shamsudden Abubakar, Usamatu Yakubu, Dayyabu Usman Waziri, Inkilulu Dauda, Ado Sambo, Sule Dahiru, and Umar Amadu. Sambo added that the kidnappers are believed to have taken them into the Kukawa bush, an area notorious for criminal hideouts.
One of the released victims, Mummuni Musa, said he and another person were tied up before being freed to relay the kidnappers’ demands. “They told us to go back and instruct the vehicle owner to sell it and pay ransom for the eight men,” he said.
Wase and Kanam Local Government Areas have seen repeated incidents of kidnapping and banditry in recent years. This latest abduction follows a deadly attack two weeks ago, in which gunmen killed soldiers and vigilantes in Kanam.
Attempts to reach Plateau State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Alabo Alfred, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
