The Chairman of Akwanga Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Safiyanu Isa Andaha, was abducted on Monday night in Ningo village along the Andaha – Akwanga Road.
Alongside him, a local resident was also taken by the gunmen, as reported by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel. Security forces, including the police and other agencies, have swiftly initiated efforts to track down the abductors and secure the release of the victims.
Despite the presence of security operatives, gunmen continue to operate in the North-Central and North-Western regions of the country.
This incident follows closely after another attack in Rivers, where gunmen ambushed a convoy, resulting in the death of four soldiers and two civilian drivers, along with the abduction of two Korean workers.
Nasarawa, like Zamfara, is among the states in the northwestern and central parts of Nigeria facing challenges from bandits who terrorize villages, perpetrate violence, and carry out abductions. These criminal groups maintain camps in a vast forest spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states.
Nigeria is grappling with a range of security issues, including a 14-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized addressing insecurity since taking office on May 29, with a focus on attracting foreign investment to Africa’s most populous nation.