Kidnapping: Nightmare for Jalingo residents and Taraba rural communities
It is now very risky to run a good business or own large herd of animals or even harvest bags of farm produce in Taraba State as hoodlums would come after those perceived to be wealthy.
Itodo Sule Daniel, who was in Taraba
The hoodlums, usually working in collaboration with informants, visit their potential victims in the day or night to kidnap them for ransom and in some cases kill those who resist to be abducted.
The informants, residing in Jalingo and towns and villages across the state, are the ones who give directions to the kidnappers to abduct people for ransom because they live among the people and know them better.
The rate of kidnapping, it was gathered, has instilled fear in the minds of residents of Jalingo as well as those residing in other parts of the state.
The hoodlums in recent weeks have killed five persons including a local government chairman and secretary of one of the chiefdoms in the state, apart from those killed few years ago.
Similarly, the hoodlums who operate mostly in the night have abducted several individuals including a member of the State House of Assembly and a special Assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku and collected huge sums as ransom.
Daily Trust on Sunday finding revealed that wealthy individuals who relocated to Jalingo town from villages and towns because of fear of activities of kidnappers are faced with fresh threat as the town is no longer safe.
It was further gathered that a businessman who relocated to Jalingo from Garba Chede because of threat to his life by suspected kidnappers was abducted by the kidnappers who trailed him and abducted him few weeks after he relocated.
Areas worse affected by high rate of kidnapping in Jalingo metropolis include BabaYa’u, Sabongari, Takanaban, Mile 6, ATC, Mullum, as well as areas on the outskirts of Jalingo.
Similarly, areas outside Jalingo that are seriously affected by high rates of kidnapping include Sunkani, Garin Abba, Namne, Iware, Bali area, Mutum Biyu, Sabongida, Chanchangi, Lau and Karim-Lamido.
Along Wukari-Takum road, 26 youths going to Takum after attending a wedding ceremony in Wukari were abducted.
Twenty-two out of the abducted youths were rescued by a joint team of soldiers from Benue and Taraba State while four of the youths are still being held by the kidnappers who operate from a forest in neighboring Benue State.
Two weeks later, gunmen dressed in army uniform invaded Chanchangi town in Takum Local Government Area and killed one Mobile police officer.
The gunmen, it was gathered, also shot four children who were studying the Qur’an inside a Masjid located close to the palace of the Gara of Chanchangi in the town.
Other incidents recorded in the state include the killing of two policemen at a junction near Jen town in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area by unidentified gunmen.
The killing of the two policemen came few months after two cattle merchants got killed by unidentified gunmen at Andame village in the same KarimLamido local government area.
In Sunkani town, the headquarters of Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, more than 10 persons were abducted and one person killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.
It was in Sunkani town that the Taraba State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress was abducted two weeks ago.
Daily Trust on Sunday also reports that the chairman of Ardo-Kola Local Government Council, Mr. Salihu Dovo, and his nephew were abducted from his resident in Sabongari area of
Jalingo three weeks ago. Dovo and his nephew got killed by their abductors when they realized that they could not take them away as vigilantes gave them a hot chase.
Few days later, Bala Baba Mayo Belwa, a special assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku, was abducted by unidentified gunmen and millions of naira was paid as ransom for his release.
In the same area, it was further gathered that a young businessman Abdulrazak Yola was killed inside his house by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.
Late Abdulrazak, it was learnt, got killed when he resisted to be abducted and the gunmen shot him severally in the chest leading to his instant death.
Similarly, the Secretary of Kunini Chiefdom, Abdullahi Aboki, was also attacked in his residence at Kunini town the headquarters of the chiefdom.
His wife Adama Abubakar and his 3-month-old child were shot by the gunmen. They were however lucky to survive but the 3-month-old child who was shot on the leg, had it amputated. The child and his mother are still on admission at the Federal Medical Centre Jalingo.
Daily Trust on Sunday finding revealed that many residents of Takanaban and Baba Ya’u quarters have relocated to the main Jalingo township because of the activities of the hoodlums. Those who built or own big business and those who ride exotic cars are potential targets of kidnappers in Jalingo and many parts of the state.
Similarly, senior government officials and lecturers are also targeted by the hoodlums.
In the rural areas, big time farmers are also threatened by the hoodlums as they abduct them on the farms and in their houses.
At Sabongida in Gassol Local Government Area, three farmers were kidnapped while working in their farms and ransom was paid before their release.
Daily Trust gathered that at a farm near Sabongida, a farmer who went to his farm to supervise labourers working narrowly escaped being abducted.
Another farmer in Wurojam was not so lucky as he was abducted and many bags of maize and paddy rice he harvested recently were sold to pay about N10 million ransom for his release.
Many of the kidnap cases were not reported to the police because the kidnappers usually warn their victims of consequences if they report their cases to security agents.
Both the former police spokesperson DSP David Misal and the new police spokesperson in the state ASP Leha Reform confirmed most of the kidnappings and killings.
ASP Leha Reform stated that more police patrol have been deployed to parts of Sunkani and Jalingo to tackle cases of kidnapping and other crimes.
In Sunkani town, the headquarters of Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, more than 10 persons were abducted and one person killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers. It was in Sunkani town that the Taraba State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress was abducted two weeks ago