From Gyang Bere, Jos
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped former governorship aspirant in Plateau State during the 2019 general election, Hon. Kemi Nicholas Nshe, and chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Plateau State University, Bokkos, Dr. Monday Hassan.
Daily Sun gathered that Nshe, former chairman of Shendam Local Government Area of the State, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was abducted in company with Dr. Hassan at his residence in Shendam On New Year eve.
His abduction came barely 24- hours after the release of a traditional ruler of Gindiri, the Sum Pyem, Mr. Charles Mato Dakat in Mangu Local Government Area of the state.
A source close to the family of the former council chairman, informed that the gunmen gained access to his residence at about 9:45 pm on Friday and shot sporadically into the air to announce their arrival.
It also revealed that the gunmen forced their way into the sitting room where Nshe was entertaining his guest and forced them into the waiting vehicle at gunpoint.
The abduction of Nshe and his guest is causing serious tension in Shendam as confirmed by his close associates on Sunday morning.
He said:”Please join us in praying for the release of Dr Nshe, who was forcefully kidnapped from his Shendam residence in the early hours of Saturday being the New Year day 1st, January 2022. It was in the night that the gummen came to his house and took him away and left his phone behind.
“The incident is rather unfortunate .We don’t know where they have taken him to .But yesterday evening (Saturday) , I learnt that the kidnappers called the family members through the phone number of the son and demanded N100 million ransom which they later reduced to N50 million.
“Where will they get that kind of money when people are just suffering everywhere? It baffles me why the Federal Government through the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy would make Nigerians go through hard experiences by subjecting them to SIM card registration and yet,this kind of thing would be happening without the perpetrators being apprehended.
“What is the relevance of that registration exercise ? Where are we going in this country in this kind of situation . We pray that the former Council chairman be released safely, because he has done nothing to warrant his abduction.”
Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ubah Gabriel Ogaba,confirmed the incident and said the Police Commissioner has mobilized their tactical team to ensure his safe release.