Gov Ishaku’s Chief Press Secretary kidnapped by unknown gunmen

Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo

The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa has been reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen along Bali – Gashaka road of the State. Confirming the incident, the State Deputy Governor, Engr. Haruna Manu, who spoke to our Correspondent through telephone, said the CPS left Jalingo yesterday (Wednesday) morning at about 6.30am to join his boss, Governor Ishaku who was already at the Mambilla Plateau (Gembu), headquarters of Sardauna Local Government Area in continuation of his state wide campaigns. The Deputy Governor, who condemned in strong terms, the spate of kidnapping across the country and the State called on Taraba people to pray for the release of Mijinyawa unhurt. Also, to have been abducted by the kidnappers in the same venue, according to information gathered by our Correspondent was a foreign expatriate whose country of origin or name could not be ascertained by the time of filing this report. Speaking on the issue, the wife of the victim, Hajiya Sekina Mijinyawa, said her husband left home for Gembu in Sardauna Local Government Area at about 7.00 am Wednesday morning only for her to hear that he had been kidnapped. With tears dropping down her cheeks, she called on the kidnappers to temper justice with mercy by releasing her husband unhurt. She also appealed to the State Government and the various Security Operatives to tread extra legitimate paths to rescue her husband and other victims unhurt. One of the victims who narrowly escaped the scene 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 (IDPs) camps was also kidnapped. The escaped victim who gave his name as Yusuf Garba narrated how the kidnappers in large number, with AK47 took over the highway for several hours. He said the CPS and the other victims after being dispossessed of their belongings at gun point were made away into the forest by their abductors. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), of the Taraba State Police Command, ASP. David Misal said he was not aware of the kidnap saying, he didn’t have any details about it. As at the time of filing this report, Governor Ishaku and other top Government functionaries, who our Correspondent gathered, were in Mambilla Plateau campaigning ahead of the forthcoming elections are yet to make public pronouncements over the issue.