Gunmen Attack Journalist, About Wife

Wife of a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Nasarawa State, Mrs Yahanasu Abubakar, and three other women have been abducted by gunmen.

Mr Suleiman Abubakar, who is the Chairman of Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ in the state, confirmed the incident to Channels Television.

He said the women were abducted by the gunmen following an attack on Wednesday evening along the Gudi-Garaku Road in Akwanga Local Government Area on their way to Lafia, the state capital.

According to Abubakar, the assailants shot at the union’s bus conveying the victims from Keffi, where his wife had gone to register at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp.

He explained that their bus ran into a ditch after they were chased by gunmen numbering more than 30.

The journalist added that the gunmen shot sporadically in the air few metres from a police checkpoint and forcefully made away with his wife and the other women into the bush.

The other victims included the wife of a former member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, whom they had given a lift, as well as two other women from another vehicle.

Abubakar said the gunmen have demanded N5 million from him before his wife would regain freedom.

The State Police Command has also confirmed the incident to Channels Television.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Samaila Usman, said the command had already mobilised officers to the area for a search and rescue operation.