Gunmen have abducted a traditional ruler simply identified as Da Gyang Balak, the Gwom Rwei Vwang in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
It was gathered that Balak, on Sunday night by 8pm was driving home along the road near the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru community when the gunmen waylaid him and whisked him away.
Reports have it that the kidnappers have established contact with the family and are demanding a ransom of N10 million.
This incident is coming less than one month after gunmen had abducted another traditional ruler in Mangu LGA, Charles Dakat, who is the Paramount Ruler of Gindiri.
The lawmaker representing Jos South in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Fom Gwattson confirmed the latest abduction to The PUNCH in Jos on Monday
The lawmaker said “I have just been informed of the kidnap of one of our traditional rulers , Da Gwom Rwei of Vwang District ,Jos South LGA ,Da Gyang Balak. From what I was told ,he was on his to his palace when some people blocked his vehicle and forcefully took him away around 8 pm last night” .
The lawmaker who condemned the abduction of the traditional ruler noted that his kidnap was the second of such incidents in the community in recent time.
“We have a problem at hand in Plateau state regarding kidnapping and abduction of the citizens,” he said.
“The area where they kidnapped the traditional ruler in Vwang District is the same place where another resident was kidnapped about two weeks ago and a ransom of N1m was paid to the kidnappers before they released the young man
“As lawmakers elected by the people to represent them at the 9th Plateau Assembly,we have done what we are supposed to do to address the problem by passing the anti-kidnapping bill into law which was subsequently signed by Governor Simon Lalong.
“But who has been tried in plateau state using that law?. It is just there lying in waste why the people continue to cry over their plight in the hands of abductors.
“I believe that the government which has the duty to arrest and prosecute those reponsible for kidnapping but fails to do it knows what it is doing. In Katsina state,over 200 people were killed and nobody said anything.
“The truth is that the people of Plateau state and indeed Nigerians have entered “one chance” government and unless this Government is booted out of power, the people may continue to suffer the same fate.”
The Military Information Officer of Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa who also confirmed the kidnap of the traditional ruler said “Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN in conjunction with other security agencies are on trail of the kidnappers. God’s willing, the security agencies will soon close-up on the criminals”.
