Five children kidnapped in Makurdi

MAKURDI—No fewer than five children, between the ages of one and two, have been reportedly kidnapped in separate places by unknown persons in Wadata area of Makurdi town in Benue State.
This came as unknown gunmen yesterday abducted Sanusi Garba Noma, son of former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairman in Bauchi State, Garba Noma.
Vanguard gathered yesterday from an eyewitness that the latest kidnap case was recorded early yesterday when a-year-old boy, Emmanuel Ojo, was snatched from his mother along the popular Benue crescent in Makurdi.
The eyewitness said: “Another two-year-old was also snatched from a woman who was selling oranges on the same Benue crescent two days ago at about 4pm.
“A similar incident was also recorded at Wanunne in Tarka local government area and at the Makurdi Modern market where three kids were also snatched by unknown criminal gangs.
“The mode of operation of these gangs can best be described as strange. They storm any area and pick these infants and before anyone would notice what is happening, they are gone with their captive.”
Mother of one of the kidnapped kids, Mrs. Mary Ojo, told journalists that her son was forcibly taken from her by a gang of men who drove to where she was standing with her one-year-old son, near Hope Clinic, Wadata, after which they drove off.
“I cannot understand why and where they have taken my small innocent son to, and they are yet to release him.
“I’m pleading that he should be released so that he can be given proper attention because he is just one- year-old,” she said.
When contacted, the Benue State police spokesman, Superintendent (SP) Daniel Ezeala, said two of the kidnap cases were reported to the Police in Makurdi, adding that investigation into the cases was in progress.
Similarly, unknown gunmen yesterday abducted the son of former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairman in Bauchi State, Garba Noma.
It was learned that the son of the former party chieftain, Sanusi Garba Noma, was abducted in the early hours of yesterday in front of his father’s residence in Bauchi metropolisis.