Unknown gunmen have carried out a shocking abduction, targeting Benue State’s Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Mr. Matthew Abo.
The unsettling incident unfolded late on Sunday night, around 10 pm, when these armed individuals forcefully entered the commissioner’s residence in Zaki-Biam, the headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area within the state.
According to an eyewitness, the gunmen arrived in the area riding on four motorcycles, brazenly invading the commissioner’s house and firing their weapons indiscriminately.
The situation took a terrifying turn as the assailants ordered all occupants of the house, including the commissioner’s wife and children, to lie face down.
Following this ordeal, they seized Matthew Abo and swiftly vanished, leaving his whereabouts unknown.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Sir Tersoo Kula, confirmed this distressing incident on Monday.
When contacted by reporters, he simply stated, “Unfortunately, that is the news. Commissioner for Information, Culture & Tourism, Mr. Matthew Abo from Ukum LGA was kidnapped.”
Additionally, a former Special Adviser on Media and ICT to the state’s immediate past Governor, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, also revealed the incident on his Facebook page.
He disclosed that armed men had besieged the commissioner’s private residence at around 8 pm on Sunday night.
These gunmen, arriving on motorcycles, forcibly took Mr. Abo away at gunpoint after instructing his wife, children, and others present to lie facedown.
Eyewitnesses to the incident reported that the kidnappers compelled the commissioner, at gunpoint, to sit behind the rider of one of the motorcycles while a gunman accompanied them.
It is worth noting that Matthew Abo had recently been sworn in as a member of the Benue State Executive Council on August 29, 2023, and he hails from Ukum LGA.
Ukum, situated in the Sankera axis of the state, has sadly become known for attacks, killings, and kidnappings carried out by unknown gunmen. These activities have persisted despite the presence of security personnel in the region.
Efforts to obtain a statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent SP Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
Authorities are diligently working to resolve this distressing situation and secure the commissioner’s safe return.
