GunmenKRUMAH BANKONG-OBI/Lafia
The Sangarin Dari, Chief Emmanuel Omanji, has been snatched from his palace by some unidentified gunmen suspected to be bandits. The incident followed an overnight invasion of the area on Wednesday by individuals who shot sporadically before abducting the monarch at his domain in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
A member of the community who pleaded anonymity said the perpetrators, who were armed, gate-crashed into the palace, firing shots indiscriminately before whisking away the traditional ruler to an unknown destination.
The Nasarawa State Police Command has confirmed the kidnap incident. Ranham Nansel, a superintendent of Police and Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, said the Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro Mohammed, has mobilised teams of police, military and vigilante groups to the area to conduct rescue operations.
Nansel expressed optimism that the victim will be found and released safely, and the culprits apprehended. He, however, implored members of the public with helpful information to make same available to the security agencies. “The CP has assured that the royal father will be rescued but called on anyone with useful information not to hesitate to report to the police,” he noted.
After a seeming lull, human snatching, especially of traditional rulers, appears to be grabbing headlines again in the State.