Crime & SecurityLocal GovernmentNewsGunmen Kidnap 27 Travelers Along Wukari –Takum Road In Taraba

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By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz, Regional Correspondent

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No fewer than 27 passengers travelling along Wukari to Takum Expressway were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Taraba state.

Reports say that the travelers mostly youths were returning from a wedding ceremony in Wukari local government when the bandits attacked them at Kofai Ahmadu in Takum and whisked them away to an unknown destination alongside the vehicle.

‘’ The youths who were between 18 and 22 were returning from a wedding programme in Wukari in a Toyota Hummer bus at about 8.30am when they ran into a group of gunmen between Chechenji and Kofai Ahmadu villages.

‘’It was gathered the gunmen hijacked the vehicle they were travelling with and drove the 26 passengers, including the driver of the bus to an unknown destination.

‘’ The gunmen drove from Kofai Ahmadu village in Taraba and headed for Benue axis and  accusing fingers are being pointed at the notorious Ghana boys said to have been flushed out of Benue due to activities of operation Whirl- Stroke going on in Benue State, ‘’ said a local vigilante who doesn’t want his name mention.

When contacted, the Chairman of Takum Local Government Area Shiban Tikari confirmed the incident, ”They were 24 passengers that left for Wukari to celebrate one of them who was getting wedded yesterday,” he said.

”When returning they decided to squeeze in three of their friends who were stranded in Wukari then this thing happened along the road. The Vehicle, an 18 seater, bus was used to convey them to the unknown destination.”

He added that with the help of youths of Takum communities and some security agencies, they combed the bushes around, but found nothing.

Tikari noted that so far, no call has been made by their abductors on what their demands are or their whereabouts.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state David Misal also confirmed the incident stressing that they have launched an investigation into the matter.

He, however, disclosed that they are yet to establish if it is a case of kidnapping or not.

The Wukari to Takum Expressway has been in the news lately for abduction and ambush especially during the wake of the ethnic crisis between the Tivs and Jukun in April 2019.

This also led to the killing of a Catholic priest, Rev Father Tanko David the same year.

Hassan Umar Shallpella (Regional Correspondent)

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