Gunmen kidnap Nasarawa Lawmaker’s brother

Gunmen have abducted a younger brother to Mr John Osewu, a member of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, representing Doma South Constituency.

Daily Trust gathered that the victim, Mr Jibrin Ede, who is a councillor representing Agbashi electoral ward in the Doma Local Government Area of the state, was kidnapped by yet to be identified gunmen in the early hours of Saturday when he was on his way to Okpata community in Doma LGA to meet a friend.

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Mr Osewu confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.

He said: “My younger brother was abducted on Saturday when he was on his way to Okpata community in Doma LGA to see a friend.”

According to the lawmaker, his brother’s abductors are demanding N10 million ransom, adding that “and I don’t know where to get this huge amount of money.”

He added that as of the time he spoke with his younger brother, “he was shouting and lamenting at the same time that his two legs are swollen up due to the trekking with the kidnappers into a forest.”

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer in the state command, ASP Ranham Nansel, said the command was yet to get an official report on the matter.

However, the Nasarawa State Government has condemned the abduction.

Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Dogo Shammah, assured the state government’s commitment to ensure that the kidnapped councillor is released unhurt.

“As a government, we condemn in strong terms the kidnap of the victim. Security operatives will definitely spring into action to ensure his release.

“Criminals are human beings and they live around us. But sometimes we don’t want to expose them because they may be our relatives and that is why criminality is on the increase in the country.”

“We are urging residents of the state to always give the government and security operatives useful information that will assist us to serve the people better,” he added.