Kidnapping wave hits Taraba community as gunmen abduct monarch, pregnant woman, policemen

The traditional ruler of Pupule in Yoro Local Government Area of Taraba State, Alhaji Alhaji Umaru Abubakar Nyala, has been abducted by gunmen.

The hoodlums also kidnapped a pregnant woman during the attack on the community.

Newsmen  gathered that two policemen in the community were also abducted.

Sources within the community disclosed that the assailants invaded Pupule at about 2:00 am on Tuesday.

Gunshots were said to have echoed through the air, instigating panic and thwarting any immediate attempts at resistance.

“This is the third time kidnapping for ransom has occurred in the village in less than six months,” lamented a community member, underscoring the escalating security challenges faced by residents.

Confirming the report, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Usman Abdullahi stated, “It has been confirmed that a district head and fifteen others have been kidnapped.

“Notably, the kidnapped individuals include two policemen — an inspector and a sergeant — both residing within the community.”

In response to the crisis, law enforcement agencies, he said, have escalated efforts to track down the kidnappers.

According to him, the Police Command has deployed a combination of strike force, anti-kidnapping units, vigilantes, and professional hunters to the affected area in a bid to rescue the abducted individuals and restore calm to the beleaguered community.

This incident has exacerbated the prevailing sense of insecurity in Taraba State, following the recent killing of a village head in Ibbi local government council.