The Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Matthew Abo, has been abducted by unknown gunmen in Zaki Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of the state, News About Nigeria reports.
His alleged abduction was disclosed by a former Special Adviser on Media and ICT to the immediate past governor of the state, Tahav Agerzua, on his Facebook page on Sunday night.
According to Tahav, the newly inaugurated commissioner was taken away by armed men who stormed his private residence at about 8 p.m. on Sunday night.
He also revealed that the armed men stormed the house of the commissioner on motorbikes and took him away at gunpoint after ordering his wife children and others, who were with him, to lie face down.
According to him, the gunmen compelled the commissioner at gunpoint to sit behind one of the riders of the motorcycle, while another gunman sandwiched him, and then they drove away.
Tahav who also disclosed that the commissioner’s abduction has been reported to the Police, said that “the abduction took place after 8 p.m. on Sunday, 24th September, 2023. The matter has been reported to the police.”
His post reads: “There are confirmed reports that several gunmen stormed the residence of Matthew Abo, Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Zaki-Biam, and abducted him about two hours ago.
“Eyewitnesses state that the kidnappers came on four motorcycles, ordered everyone in the house, including the commissioner’s wife and children, to lie face down and took him away to an unknown destination on one of the motorcycles.
“The witnesses said the abductors compelled the commissioner at gunpoint to sit behind the rider of one of the motorcycles, while a gunman sandwiched him.
The abducted commissioner was sworn in as a member of the Benue State Executive Council on August 29, 2023, and he hails from Ukum Council.
Ukum is in the Sankara axis of the state, which is made up of Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala local governments.
