Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Taraba State, Peter Jediel, has been abducted by gunmen.
Jediel was abducted at about 1 a.m. yesterday at his residence in Sunkani, headquarters of Ardo-Kola Local Government Area.
Besides Jediel, another resident of the town, Alhaji Bello Kantoma, was equally abducted by the gunmen at his Ungwar Jauro Manu area of Sunkani.
This is coming barely two weeks after the Chairman of Ardo-Kola LGA, Mr. Salihu Dovo, was equally abducted and later killed by his abductors, who dumped his corpse in the bush.
Younger brother of the state NLC boss, Boniface Stephen, who confirmed the incident to journalists, said the gunmen invaded the residence of Jediel in a very large number and shot sporadically to scare residents of the area before whisking him away.
Stephen, however, stated that the gunmen are yet to establish contact with the family probably to demand ransom.
Also confirming the incident in a statement made available to journalists in Jalingo, the Chairman of TEKAN/ECWA in the state, Rev Phillip Micah Dopah, called on the entire body of Christ in the state, particularly the Southern Conference of the UMCN Church and the TEKAN/ECWA, to pray for the safe return of Jediel, who is also the chairman of Medical and Health Workers Union in the state.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP David Misal, could not confirm the incident, but promised to get back.
The spate of kidnapping in Taraba State has become very alarming recently prompting the state Governor, Darius Ishaku, to call on the federal government to allow citizens to own licenced guns for their own defence and security.
