Two staff of the National Population Commission NPC kidnapped in Dan-Anacha village of Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba have regained their freedom.
The duo identified as Gaddafi Shehu and Isah Zaradeen were kidnapped last Friday 10th January 2020.
Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Taraba State, Hon. Sanny Sale made this known at a news conference in Jalingo on Wednesday.
Sanny disclosed that the two staff were abducted at about 3:45pm last Friday while on the Commission’s routine Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) exercise in preparation for the national census next year.
The federal commissioner who revealed that the two staff were released on Tuesday after concessions were made described the period of their captivity as barbaric for the staff, family and the commission.
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“The moment we were informed of their abduction through a phone call to this office by the kidnappers, we promptly contacted the relevant security agencies who mobilized to ensure their timely and safe release.
“We went into intense negotiation with the kidnappers for the safe release of our colleagues. I personally took charge of the discussions on Monday until they were released,” he said.
Sanny, though could not disclose the amount paid as ransom appreciated all security agencies in the State for their tremendous support in ensuring the release of the two staff of the Commission.
One of the victims, Mister Gadafi Shehu said they were abducted on Friday while carrying out their work in the area.
” Two men riding on a motorcycle accosted us and ordered us at gunpoint to climb the bike and whisked us away to an unknown destination ”
The Police public relations officer in the state David Misal who attended the press conference told journalists that security agencies were working hard to stop the menace of kidnapping and other crimes in the State.
According to him, the police kept track of the location of the calls from the kidnappers and sometimes the location will show Benue and sometimes Nasarawa State, just to divert the attention of security personnel in intelligence gathering.
Misal calls on motorists in the state to avoid night journeys as criminals terrorizing the State were operating mainly at night.
He adds that massive deployment of security operatives around the Dan-Anacha axis is yielding positive results and it will be sustained.
