28 travellers kidnapped in Plateau community

"The incident happened around 8 p.m. when they were heading to Sabon Layi for the event,”

Gunmen have abducted 28 travellers in Zak community, Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

A youth leader in Wase, Sapi’i Sambo, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Monday, saying the victims included men, women and children.

Another resident of Bashar town, Ibrahim Musa, also confirmed the abduction, noting that the whereabouts of the victims remain unknown as of the time of the interview.

Mr Sambo said the travellers were abducted on Sunday night while journeying from Zak village to Sabon Layi community to attend an Islamic event.

According to him, two princes and a religious leader who were leading the delegation were among those abducted.

“The incident happened around 8 p.m. when they were heading to Sabon Layi for the event,” he said. “The gunmen ambushed their vehicle at the outskirts of the community, abducted all the passengers, including children, and abandoned the vehicle by the roadside.”

He explained that the abandoned vehicle, which belongs to a community leader in Zak, was discovered on Monday morning by other road users, prompting concern and a search by residents.

“It was during investigations that the community realised the vehicle was the one conveying the abducted travellers,” Mr Sambo added.

He said efforts by community members to trace the victims had so far been unsuccessful, adding that security agencies had been notified.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, said the police were investigating the report.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that incidents of kidnapping, banditry and cattle rustling have been frequent in Wase and neighbouring communities in recent years, with residents repeatedly calling on security agencies to intensify operations against criminal groups operating in the area.