BREAKING NEWS: Gunmen kidnap monarch, wife in Nasarawa

Heavily armed men suspected to be kidnappers on Sunday night, abducted the king of Gurku community in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Jibril Mamman Waziri, alongside his wife, Sa’adatu Waziri.

After their abduction in the palace, which is located around mountains in the area, the gunmen took the first-class royal father and his wife to an unknown destination.

A resident of the community, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the incident happened at 10 p.m., when many other residents had gone to bed in their respective houses.

He said: “It was around 10 p.m., when the sad incident occurred. The gunmen, who came in their numbers, abducted the chief and his wife. They did not get any help from the security agencies that was why the gunmen were able to take them away.

“We are calling on the police and other security agencies to urgently intervene in the matter so that they can be released as soon as possible.”

Confirming the incident to our correspondent in Lafia, yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ramhan Nansel, said efforts were ongoing to rescue the chief and his wife unhurt.

He said: “I wish to confirm that around 10p.m of August 6, 2023, a distress call was received by the Nasarawa State Police Command that the palace of the chief of Gurku town located 10 kilometres from Mararaba main town in a mountainous area, was invaded by men suspected to be kidnappers.

“Upon receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Baba, deployed a combined team of police operatives in collaboration with vigilante groups to the scene.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered that the chief and his wife were abducted to an unknown destination. The surrounding bushes and the mountains were combed but all efforts to get them proved abortive.

“The Commissioner of Police has further deployed additional men of the tactical team, the anti-kidnapping unit and officers from the Karu area command to the scene to rescue the chief and his wife unhurt.”