Amos Charles
Eight men have been abducted by gunmen in the Nyalun community, Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area (LGA) in Plateau State, highlighting the growing threat of rural kidnappings in the region.
The victims, identified as Hassan Sa’idu, Shamsudden Abubakar, Usamatu Yakubu, Dayyabu Usman Waziri, Inkilulu Dauda, Ado Sambo, Sule Dahiru, and Umar Amadu, were returning home after processing charcoal on the outskirts of their community when the incident occurred on Tuesday evening.
According to Shapi’i Sambo, a local youth leader, the assailants initially abducted 10 occupants of the vehicle but later released two in Garga, Kanam LGA, to deliver a ransom message.
“The victims were returning around 7:30 pm when the perpetrators suddenly stopped their vehicle loaded with charcoal and took them away. It is a shocking incident because the victims were struggling to make ends meet when this happened,” Sambo said.
One of the two freed men, Mummuni Musa, confirmed that the kidnappers had tied up the victims and demanded that the vehicle owner sell his car to pay the ransom for their release. The abductors are believed to have taken the men into the Kukawa bush, a known hideout for criminal gangs.
This latest kidnapping underscores a disturbing pattern of violence in Wase and Kanam LGAs, which have seen repeated cases of abduction and banditry. Just two weeks ago, gunmen killed soldiers and vigilantes in Kanam, raising concerns about the security vacuum in rural Plateau communities.
Efforts to reach the Plateau State Police Command for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
The targeting of charcoal burners—a group largely reliant on daily labor for survival—reveals how criminal networks exploit the most vulnerable in society. Community leaders have called for increased patrols, better intelligence, and coordinated efforts to protect rural livelihoods.
Traveling in isolated areas after dark is highly risky, and authorities urge rural workers to travel in groups where possible and report suspicious movements or armed strangers immediately.
Juliet Ezeh is the founder and chief reporter at Westbridge Reporters with over 7 years of experience in journalism. She covers crime, industry, policy, and social developments, delivering timely and accurate reporting.