BY AMEH IDUJAGI, JALINGO – The Chief Press Secretary to the Taraba State governor, Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa, an expatriate and two others were on Wednesday kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Gashaka Local Government Area of the state.
The only expatriate kidnapped along with the media aide to Governor Dairus Ishiaku is het to be identified just as his country of origin is yet to be known.
Confirming the unfortunate development to our correspondent, the wife to the kidnapped Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Hajiya Sekina Mijinyawa, said her husband left jalingo for Gembu headquarters of Sardauna Local Government Area at about 7:00 am on Wednesday” and was abducted by unknown gunmen between Bali and Serti, in Gashaka Local Government Area.
In her words; “I received a call on my husband’s number at about 8.30 am but with a strange voice, who told me my husband has been abducted and in safe hands,” adding that she later called the number severally which rang but without response.
While narrating her ordeal in tears, Mrs Haniya Sekina Migiyawa said the kidnappers called her about two hours later when they requested her to talk to her husband to enable her confirm that her husband was held captive.
She said; “I pleaded that they should temper justice with mercy by releasing my husband unhurt but they cut off the line.”
She passionately appealed to the State government and the various security operatives to take every legitimate path to rescue her husband and other victims held captive.
An eye witness, who said he narrowly escaped the scene, said that apart from the CPS and the government officials that were abducted, an expatriate, whom he said was on his way to one of the Internally Displaced Persons camps in the area was among those kidnapped.
The escapee, who gave his name as Yusuf Garba narrated how the kidnappers took over the highway for several hours after the CPS to the governor and the other victims were dispossessed of their belongings and led away into the forest by their abductors.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), David Misal said “I am not aware of the kidnap so I don’t have any details about it.”
As at the time of filing this report, Governor Ishaku and other top government officials, who are in Mambilla Plateau on official engagement is yet to make public statement on the matter
However, the Taraba state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Haruna Manu and the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. David Akinremi confirmed the kidnap story.
The Commissioner of Police said a detachment of armed policemen have been drafted to the area, adding that the police is yet to get the identity of others in the kidnappers net.
Migiyawa, who was on his way to Mambilla Plateau to join his principal, Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, who was in Gembu along with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Brutai for an official engagement was said to have been Kidnapped along with an expatriate and two other government officials whom were both driving on the Government Press crew bus.
