Unknown gunmen have abducted the Permanent Secretary in the
Taraba State Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Susana Jonathan.
According to reports, she was kidnapped in her house around
the ATC area of Jalingo at about 2:17am on Sunday. This is coming barely five days after the
Deputy Registrar of the Taraba State University Jalingo, Mr. Sanusi Sa’ad, was
kidnapped in his house in the university’s quarters, a few meters away from the
house of the abducted Permanent Secretary.
Residents of the area said the gunmen who picked the
Permanent Secretary stormed the house and shot fiercely in the air before
taking her away to an unknown destination. Taraba State Police Public Relations
Officer, DSP David Misal who confirmed the development to our correspondent
said they were yet to get official reports from the family regarding the
incident.
“From the intelligence report we have received, the woman is
nowhere to be found, but we are yet to receive any official report regarding
the incident. We want to call on the public not to be afraid of reporting any
security threat promptly to security agencies to enable us take proactive
measures,” he said.
The State Police Command had, on Wednesday, refuted the
report that Jalingo was besieged by kidnappers, forcing residents of the city
to desert the streets as early as 7:30pm daily due to fear of kidnappers.
Kidnapping in Taraba, especially Jalingo, the state capital, is gradually
becoming a daily occurrence.
Just two weeks ago, two of the wives of the Permanent
Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s office were kidnapped and released after
payment of ransom.
