A wave of terror swept through Pupule village in Yoro Local Government Area of Taraba State as gunmen, believed to be kidnappers, abducted a pregnant woman, a second-class chief, two policemen, and 21 other individuals in a daring raid.
Eyewitnesses recounted the harrowing incident, stating that the armed assailants stormed the Pupule community in the early hours of Tuesday, riding on motorcycles and brandishing sophisticated weapons.
The invaders opened fire indiscriminately, instilling fear as they forcefully took away residents from their homes.
According to Mr Tundu Ibahem, one of the villagers, the second-class chief of the area, Alhaji Umaru Abubakar, along with his son, was abducted at gunpoint.
The gunmen also seized a pregnant woman and several members of her family. Ibahem expressed concern, stating that no contact had been established with the abductors since the incident occurred.
“The people of Pupule were still in their beds when the gunmen invaded the area on motorcycles. They numbered over 20 and were heavily armed. They shot sporadically and compelled people to mount their motorcycles. Fear of being killed gripped everyone, and there was no resistance,” Ibahem recounted.
Confirming the abduction, Abdullahi Usman, the Taraba State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), disclosed that two police officers—an inspector and a sergeant—were among the kidnapped victims, alongside 16 others from the Pupule area.
Usman assured that the police command had swiftly dispatched the Police Striking Force and the Anti-Kidnapping Squad to the area. Their objective is to rescue the victims and apprehend the gunmen for prosecution.
