Gunmen Abduct Eight Charcoal Burners in Plateau Community
In a distressing incident, gunmen kidnapped eight charcoal burners on Tuesday evening in Nyalun community, located within the Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area in Plateau State. The victims were returning home after processing charcoal on the outskirts of the community when the abduction occurred, underscoring persistent security vulnerabilities in the region.
Details of the Abduction
According to Shapi’i Sambo, a youth leader in Wase, the kidnappers initially seized all ten occupants of the vehicle transporting the charcoal burners. However, they later released two individuals at Garga in Kanam Local Government Area to convey a ransom demand to the victims' relatives. Sambo described the event as shocking, noting that the victims were merely struggling to make ends meet through their labor-intensive work.
The victims were returning around 7:30 p.m. when the perpetrators suddenly stopped their vehicle, which was loaded with charcoal, and took them away, Sambo explained. He identified the kidnapped victims as:
- Hassan Sa’idu
- Shamsudden Abubakar
- Usamatu Yakubu
- Dayyabu Waziri
- Inkilulu Dauda
- Ado Sambo
- Sule Dahiru
- Umar Amadu
Ransom Demand and Hideout
Sambo added that the kidnappers are believed to have taken the victims into the Kukawa bush, a known hideout frequently used by criminals to hold people for ransom. One of the two released individuals, Mummuni Musa, provided a harrowing account of the ordeal. After they kidnapped us, they tied us up and later released two of us, Musa recounted. The kidnappers told us to go home and tell the owner of the vehicle to sell it and pay the ransom for the eight persons.
Police Response and Broader Implications
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Plateau State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Alabo Alfred, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. This incident highlights the ongoing security challenges faced by rural communities in Plateau State, where kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common. The targeting of charcoal burners, who are often from low-income backgrounds, raises concerns about the economic and social impacts of such crimes on vulnerable populations.
Local authorities and security forces are urged to intensify efforts to combat kidnapping and ensure the safe return of the victims. Community leaders like Sambo are calling for increased vigilance and support to prevent similar incidents in the future.
