The father of the former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, has been kidnapped on Saturday night from his Mushere residence in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State by about nine gunmen, a police source said.
Speaking on the abduction, the Plateau police spokesperson, Abuh Emmanuel, said Defwang Dariye was kidnapped at about 8:00 p.m.
“Our men who witness the scene report that nine persons shot sporadically and whisked away the elder statesman,” Mr. Abuh said.
“There is evidence as our men picked empty shells of bullets used by the gunmen. However, no one was injured.”
Mr. Abuh added that “efforts has been intensified to rescue the man unhurt, but at the moment, we do not know his whereabouts.”
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, also reported that the gunmen forcefully took away the victim, said to be over 80 years old, to the main road where they dressed him up in a woman’s clothes before they sped off on a motorcycle.
The agency quotes unconfirmed sources as saying the kidnappers left a note in which they made their monetary demands to be paid in dollars.
They were also said to have left a contact number, but a family source said efforts to reach the line had not been successful as it had remained switched off.
The Commander, Special Task Force in charge of peace in Plateau, Dave Enetie, who also confirmed the incident, said his men were combing everywhere for clues.
“We have reached out to security agents in Nasarawa and other neighbouring states.
“We have also linked up with the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) in Nasarawa and the search lights are everywhere, but we are yet to trace the kidnappers or the victim,” Mr. Enetie said.
He, however, said that the STF was not aware of any note left by the kidnappers.
The victim’s son, Joshua Dariye, who is a former governor of the state, is currently the senator representing Plateau Central, a position he is seeking re-election to.
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