The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Taraba State Governor, Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa, has been abducted by gunmen on Wednesday while on his way to Gembu along Bali – Gashaka axis of the road.
Alhaji Haruna Manu, the Taraba State Deputy Governor, confirmed this to newsmen in Jalingo.
Manu, who said the abductors had yet to contact anybody, urged the public to pray for the safe release of Mijinyawa and other victims.
The wife to the abducted CPS, Hajiya Sekina Mijinyawa, also confirmed the incident to newsmen.
She said that her husband left home for Gembu in Sardauna Local Government Area about 7 a.m. on Wednesday only for him to be kidnapped on the way.
Mijinyawa was on his way to Mambilla Plateau to join Governor Darius Ishaku, who is on campaign tour of the area.
She appealed to the kidnappers to have mercy on her husband and release him unhurt.
Alhaji Yusuf Garba, one of those who narrowly escaped the kidnappers, said apart from the CPS and other government officials, a foreigner whom he said was on his way to one of the Internally Displaced Persons camp, was also kidnapped.
Garba, who narrated how the kidnappers took over the highway for several hours, said the CPS and the other victims after been dispossessed of their belongings were led away into the forest by the abductors.
Mr David Akinremi, Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, also confirmed the incident.
He, however, said that police had deployed some officers in the area to commence search for the victims.
