Worker of Benue Varsity Kidnapped by Suspected Herdsmen

Gunmen abduct Navy School student, father in Ondo

George Okoh in Makurdi and Fidelis David in Akure

A staff member of  the Benue State University Makurdi were on Sunday night kidnapped by suspected Fulani herdsmen along the Makurdi – Naka road.

Similarly, suspected kidnappers have abducted a student of the Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Imeri, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

This came two days after the Returning Officer for the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in the state, Mr. Alaba Abey, was tragically assassinated by suspected gunmen.

According to a source,  the incident occurred Sunday  at about 6.00p.m, when one of staff member  identified as Mathew Chile, in company of his wife and four of his siblings, were driving to Makurdi from Naka in his Toyota Corrola vehicle. 

The source stated that all efforts to reach  Chile on his phone number have proved unsuccessful and no word has been heard from him, his wife or any of his siblings who were with him as at the time of the attack.

The Makurdi-Naka  road has become a den of kidnapper because  hardly a day goes by without a kidnapping incident occurring.

All attempt to get the police authority to comment proved abortive.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Benue State,  Hyacinth Alia, has said that without adequate security in the state, Benue state as the Food Basket of the Nation , would not be able to thrive and provide food security to the state and the nation at large.

The governor made this known yesterday  when the newly posted Commissioner of police, CP Hasssan Steve Yabane, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Makurdi.

The governor explained that Benue was experiencing an infestation of insecurity, ranging from attacks by herders and  gunmen, leaving many camped at the IDP camps. He added that Yahoo Yahoo/419 people have equally flooded the capital and are hiding in hotels where they carry out their dubious acts.

He expressed confidence that with the arrival of the new Commissioner of Police, whom he said was no stranger in Benue having served in the state before, he was in the best position to comb the state and flush out criminals, thereby securing lives and property of the citizenry.

The governor called for alertness and action from the police, especially in the local governments most hit by insecurity, namely  Kwande, Katsina/Ala, Logo, Ukum, Guma, parts of Makurdi, Gwer West and parts of  Gwer East, and also Apa and Agatu local government areas.

He lamented that even though it was farming season, the lands have been occupied by armed herders, but expressed the hope that with very active policing, a lot can be achieved to curb their menace.

According to the governor, Benue as a state is not complicated, but that some individuals have chosen to destabilise the peace process in the state, insisting that the time for politicking was over, and as such, as the sitting governor, he will not allow any form of destabilization against his administration.

He charged the new  CP to ensure that everyone is law abiding, stressing that no single individual is above the law and all should act in accordance to the law, so as to ensure peace and sanity in the state.

While assuring of his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the police to ensure that peace returns to the state, Governor Alia also lamented about the numerous road blocks from Makurdi to Nasarawa, charging the Police commissioner to equally ensure there is improvement in community relations so that the the police can interface and have a more personal and robust relationship with communities that are crisis ridden.

Earlier in his remarks, the Benue state Commissioner of Police, Steve H. Yabane said that he was familiar with the terrain of  Benue, having lived and served in the state before and was already aware of the challenges facing the state, assuring that he will duplicate his security prowess in plateau state in Benue, so as to ensure that the state is rid of all criminal elements.

He said he was going to kickstart the process of crime mapping in the state which will help in recognizing the flashpoints, warning all criminal elements to relocate from the state or face the full wrath of the law.

The CP recognised the importance of Benue as the food basket of the nation and assured that the police will safeguard the lives and properties of the citizenry.

 Meanwhile, suspected kidnappers have abducted a student of the Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Imeri, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

On the latest development, THISDAY gathered that the student, Jethro Onose, was abducted with his father, Maliki Onose, on the Ifon -Benin road yesterday.

It was gathered that the father was conveying his son said to be in SSS 1 back to school on Monday morning after the holidays when the unfortunate incident happened.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, confirmed the development.

She said: “We are working with the navy to ensure the victims are rescued and perpetrators arrested.”