28 passengers have been abducted by gunmen in an attack on a vehicle in Zak community, Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area in Plateau State.
The kidnap occurred on Sunday night as the travellers, including men, women and children, were heading to Sabon Layi community for a Maulud religious gathering.
A youth leader in Wase, Sapi’i Sambo, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, said the group was travelling under the guidance of two princes and a religious cleric when they were ambushed.
He said: “The incident happened around 8 pm when they were heading to Sabon Layi for the event. When the gunmen ambushed the victims’ vehicle on the outskirts of the community, they took away the travellers, including the children, and abandoned the vehicle.”
Read Also
Sambo added that the attack only came to light the following day after road users noticed the deserted vehicle by the roadside.
READ ALSO: Gunmen Kill Residents In Anambra Community
“It was on Monday morning that people travelling on the road saw the vehicle, which belongs to the Zak community leader, abandoned on the road. So, in the course of investigation, the community discovered it was the vehicle that was carrying the travellers that was abandoned,’’ he said.
Another resident of Bashar, Ibrahim Musa, also confirmed the incident, noting that the abductors had not made contact and the whereabouts of the victims remained unknown.
Sambo said community members had searched the area without success and reported the matter to security agencies for urgent action.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, Superintendent of Police Alabo Alfred, said the command was aware of the incident and had commenced investigation.
