The Plateau State Police Command has said the slain spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Sylvanus Namang, was killed during a kidnapping operation and not a target of assassination as alleged by the party’s leadership.
Daily Trust reports that Namang was reportedly shot dead on Saturday by unknown gunmen around a provision store in Pankshin town, located in the Pankshin local government area of the state.
But speaking about the incident on Monday, the state chairman of the party, Rufus Bature, alleged that Namang was killed by assassins.
“Without sounding immodest as a party, we refuse to subscribe to the narratives being peddled around about the gruesome murder even when investigations have not been concluded. The APC view this as a serious matter and want to believe that some of its members and some citizens are not safe in the state”, the chairman added.
Similarly, the governorship candidate of the party in the last general election, Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed that there were reports of threats to the life of the deceased before he was murdered.
But the spokesperson of the police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, while reacting to the development, said “on the side of the police, the man was killed during a kidnapping incident in the area.”
He said “On the 17/02/2024 at about 2000hrs we received information that some unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers, numbering about seven (7) invaded the relaxation centre of one Sunny Okonkwo, located along Pankshin – Jos Road, and kidnapped the owner. While in the process, a customer, one Sylvanus Namang, was shot dead by the assailants. So, as far as we are concerned, there wasn’t any report to our station whether he reported any threat to his life. If he had done that before he died, the station would report to us.”
