From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked mourners in Gwer West Local Government, Benue State, and kidnapped a police officer and two others, a man and a woman, whose identities were yet unknown.
Daily Sun gathered that the mourners were kidnapped on Tuesday, at Ahume, close to Naka town, while returning to Makurdi from a burial.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman, Gwer West LGA, Andrew Ayande, said the attack was true saying it happened at about 4pm. He lamented that terrorists were in the habit of attacking the area, making lives difficult for both residents and motorists alike.
He said: “The terrorists will always come out, and they did that yesterday (Tuesday), and the mourners didn’t know what was coming. They are always doing that around Ahume. It happened around 4pm. The people were on their way to Makurdi and they were attacked, and a policeman and two others were kidnapped.
“We lost one prominent person around the place on Monday, and they took the body home yesterday (Tuesday); the people came as usual as they have been doing and attacked them.”
Ayande said the vehicle in which they were traveling has been recovered and taken to Naka police station.
“He told newsmen on phone that the kidnappers have contacted the families of the victims and were demanding ransom. He disclosed that the kidnappers demanded a total sum of N1.7 million.”
Ayande, who described the kidnappers as mere local thieves, said they demanded N200,000 for the policeman, N1 million for the woman, and N500,000 for the other man.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to be informed.