Gunmen have abducted Laven Denty Jacob, the member representing Pankshin South Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly.
The lawmaker was reportedly kidnapped on Monday night at his residence in the Angwan-Kagji area of Dong, Jos North Local Government Area of the state.
Confirming the incident on the ground of anonymity, a close aide to the lawmaker who previously served under him during his tenure as deputy chairman of Pankshin local government under the Simon Lalong administration, said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. as Jacob returned home. While waiting for his security guard to open the gate, three masked men reportedly attacked him at gunpoint, dragging him out of his vehicle and whisking him away to an unknown destination.
He described the attack as sudden and violent, noting that the kidnappers escaped before help could arrive.
As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State House of Assembly leadership has yet to issue an official statement. Sources within the Assembly indicate that consultations are ongoing as lawmakers await confirmation from security agencies.
Efforts to reach Alfred Alabo, the spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, were unsuccessful. He neither answered calls nor responded to text messages sent by our correspondent.
BusinessDay reports that despite recent strides by security forces under Operation Enduring Peace which has seen the arrest of several suspects involved in banditry and the recovery of arms and ammunition, insecurity continues to plague Plateau State.
While coordinated security operations have yielded some successes, some local leaders argue that these efforts have not translated into safety for many people particularly in villages, where the absence of adequate local defense mechanisms leaves residents highly vulnerable.
The latest incident underscoring this concern is the abduction of Zubairu Usman Garba, the District Head of Birbyang in Kanam Local Government Area, who was kidnapped on Sunday. His wife narrowly escaped the attack, and reports indicate that the kidnappers also brought along two abducted women from another community.
This comes just a week after another traditional ruler in the same LGA was abducted and later killed, sparking outrage and fear among residents.
