By Gabriella Ogbu
Three family members of Ahmed Ajobe, a Former Editor of Daily Trust, were abducted on Thursday by gunmen in Awo, Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victims, including Ajobe’s younger sister, Halimtu-Sadiya Tahir, were returning from a local market when they were ambushed on the dilapidated Ankpa-Adoka-Makurdi road.
The incident came just days after the death of Ajobe’s mother, Malama Aishetu Tahir, as the family was preparing for her seven-day prayers.
Sources revealed the kidnappers struck around 3 p.m. and later demanded a ransom of ₦50 million. Negotiations are ongoing, but no payment has been made, and the victims remain in captivity.
Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer William Aya confirmed the incident, stating that officers and a tactical team, under the directive of Police Commissioner Bethrand Onuoha, had been deployed to secure the victims’ release.
Aya assured the public of the police’s commitment to apprehending the culprits and bringing the family members home safely.
This latest abduction underscores growing concerns over security on the state’s neglected roads, which have become hotspots for criminal activities.
