Just in: Gunmen pound Nasarawa community, abduct ex-deputy governor

Gunmen attacked Gwagi village in Nasarawa State early Friday morning and abducted Onje Gye-Wado, a former deputy governor of the state.

Spokesperson for the police in the state, Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday.

Gye-Wado who is also the former dean of the Faculty of Law, Nasarawa State University, was kidnapped in the early hours of the day.

Nansel said the gunmen seized the former deputy governor from his residence in Gwagi village, Wamba LGA of the state.

“The Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, Maiyaki Baba, assured the general public, especially the family of Gye-Wado that effort was being intensified to rescue the victim.

He said the police tactical operatives were engaged in the search and rescue operation.

He said, “Information received by the command indicated that on 7/4/2023 at about 12:30am, unknown gunmen invaded Gwagi village in Wamba LGA, broke into the residence of one Prof. Onje Gye-Wado and abducted him to an unknown destination.

“Upon receipt of the information, police operatives attached to Wamba division swiftly moved to the scene, but the hoodlums had fled with the victim before their arrival.

“The commissioner of police further mobilised and deployed reinforcement comprising police tactical teams, military, vigilante, and local hunters to complement the ongoing search to rescue the hostage hale and hearty and arrest the perpetrators of the act.”

The police spokesperson said the commissioner urged members of the public to report any useful information that could help the command in the rescue operation.