The Benue State Police Command on Monday confirmed the abduction of the State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Ekpe Ogbu.
NIGERIACRIME gathered that Ogbu, alongside three others were kidnapped by some unidentified gunmen at the notorious Adankari junction along Ado-Otukpo Road at about 9 pm on Sunday.
The police named the other victims as the Commissioner’s driver, whose name is yet to be ascertained and one of his brothers-in-law, Hon Agbo Ode.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Command, SP Sewuese Anene, security personnel are on their way to the scene of the attack.
Anene said, “Incident confirmed. We are on our way to the area. I will give you more information when we get there.”
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Sources also disclosed that the Commissioner had attended a Church programme earlier, where Senator Abba Moro, Benue South Senatorial district, had earlier dedicated his Campaign Council to God at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Otukpo.
He was reportedly heading back to his village in Ndekma, Utonkon in Ado LGA after the Church programme when he fell into the hands of his abductors.
The police have, however, recovered the official Hilux van in which the Commissioner was travelling in, but the whereabouts of the commissioner and the other victims are still unknown.
In the last few months, the Ado-Otukpo axis of Benue state has gained notoriety for kidnappings and other forms of violent crimes.
The Council Chairman of Ado LGA, James Oche and security agencies have in recent times been engaged in running battles with the criminals terrorising the communities on that axis of the state.
Oche said that “he is a Commissioner from our Local Government so we are working with all the security agencies and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters to ensure his rescued.”