TheCable

Hassan Mijinyawa, chief press secretary (CPS) to Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, was on Wednesday abducted by unknown gunmen along Bali-Gashaka-Gembu highway.

“He was on his way to the Mambilla Plateau to join his principal, Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, who is on campaign tour of the area,” she said.

“He left in a Press Crew bus and I learnt he was kidnapped alongside a government official with whom he was driving in the press crew bus.

“I want to appeal to the kidnappers to temper justice with mercy and release my husband unhurt.”

According to one Yusuf Garba, a witness who was said to have narrowly escaped being kidnapped, said apart from the CPS and the government official that were abducted, an expatriate whom he said was on his way to one of the internally displaced persons’ camp, was also kidnapped.

Garba, who narrated how the kidnappers took over the highway for several hours, said the CPS and the other victims were dispossessed of their belonging, before they were led away into the forest.

David Akinremi, the state commissioner of police, confirmed the incident, saying security operatives had been deployed in the area to search for the victims.