Suspected bandits have abducted Hon. Dr. Joseph Haruna Kigbu, a former member of the House of Representatives, while he was traveling to Jos, Plateau State.
The incident occurred around 6:00 p.m. on the road between Nunku in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and Gwantu in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
During the attack, Dr. Kigbu’s police escort engaged the bandits in a gunfight but was fatally shot while attempting to thwart the abduction. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers fired sporadically, causing panic among motorists in the area.
Local residents confirmed the incident and described the area as a long-standing hotspot for criminal activities. Efforts to contact the Nasarawa State Police Command for a statement were unsuccessful, as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer went unanswered at the time of this report.
This abduction and the death of the police escort highlight the worsening security challenges in the region, with calls for heightened security measures from concerned residents.
Police Rescue Four Children From Suspected Traffickers in Rivers State
In a separate development, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command rescued four children from suspected child traffickers and arrested two individuals in connection with the crime.
The rescue took place at a hotel in the Rumukwachi community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where the children, aged between one and thirteen, were found.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, revealed that the hotel manager raised the alarm after suspecting foul play. The manager refused to let the woman, identified as Esther Anthony, leave with the children without proof of their parentage.
Anthony attempted to implicate the manager by bringing in police officers and accusing him of abducting the children and threatening her. However, the manager contacted the Choba Area Command, leading to Anthony’s arrest.
Preliminary investigations uncovered that Anthony conspired with an accomplice, Favour, to traffic the children from the Swali community in Bayelsa State. Another suspect, Purity Silas, was also apprehended.
Police revealed that Anthony was previously identified in another case involving the abduction and sale of three children in Port Harcourt to a nurse named Loveth, who operates a maternity home. All suspects have confessed to their crimes, and the case has been transferred to the State CID in Port Harcourt for further investigation.
The rescued children are currently in protective custody as investigations continue.
