Ex lawmaker, Police command’s chief Imam abducted in Taraba

Gunmen have abducted Senator Zik Sunday and the Chief Imam of Taraba Police Command, Mallam Mustapha Nuhu, at the weekend.

Sunday, who represented Taraba North Senatorial District from 2003 to 2007, was abducted in his village, Bachama in Karim- Lamido Local Government Area of the state at about 1.30am on Saturday while Nuhu was abducted at Sunday night.

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A source from Bachama village, Mallam Yakubu Saidu, told Daily Trust in a telephone interview that the gunmen, about 20 in number, surrounded the entire village during the attack.

He said the gunmen opened fire and shot in all directions in the village, forcing the villagers to run into the hills for cover.

The source stated further that the gunmen forced their way into the Senator Sunday’s house and took him away to an unknown location.

Sunday, the source said, is a big farmer in the area and probably the criminals targetted him because of his farming activities.

Mallam Yakubu revealed that the abductors have not contacted the family of the victim.

The source also revealed that the gunmen also invaded Dogon Yeli, Bmekler, Kumuyel and Lallah villages in the area and abducted the village head of one the villages.

How Mallam Nuhu was taken

On the other hand, gunmen numbering 10, broke into the residence of Nuhu at Nana Aisha quarters midnight and abducted him.

The cleric, who is a police officer serving with the Taraba State Police Command, was said to have preached against increasing rates of crimes, especially kidnapping in the state during a Jummat summon on Friday.

As of the time of filing this report, the abductors of the cleric are yet to make contact with his family.

Daily Trust found that Jalingo metropolis have come under attacks by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in recent weeks.

It was also learnt that the areas affected include behind Donga bridge, Baba Yau, Mile6, Kona, Wuro Sambe, Sabongari and primary board areas among others.

It was gathered that residents in these areas live in fear of attack by the suspected kidnappers.

A resident of behind Donga bridge area, Mr Matthew Bulus, told Daily Trust that a few weeks ago, a staff of Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), Joseph Zaphania, was abducted by kidnappers but died few days after he regained his freedom.

He said the gunmen invaded the area three times last week but added that their attempt to kidnap a wealthy person in the community failed.

It was further gathered that several individuals were abducted by gunmen in the affected areas but regained their freedom after payment of ransom.

The spokesperson of Taraba State Police Command, DSP David Misal, confirmed the abduction of Senator Sunday.

He said efforts were being made to rescue the victim.

However, he said he does not have details of the cleric’s abduction.

“Please, l don’t have details yet.

“Give me some time,” DSP Misal said.