Gunmen have kidnapped the paramount ruler of Gindiri town in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Charles Mato Dakat.
It was that the incident occurred early on Sunday morning.
According to Vanguard, gunshots were heard at the palace of the monarch between 1 am and 2 am.
He was abducted thereafter. A resident of the community, Helen Bulus, told Punch, “The incident happened between 1am and 2am. The gunmen came in large numbers to his palace.
“He was in the palace alone because the wife had travelled to Jos and the children were also not around. All through the wee hours, there was heavy shooting by the bandits in his palace, and people in the community were running in different directions.
“So, this morning at daybreak, we went to the palace only to discover that the gunmen have taken the traditional ruler away.”
Major Ishaku Takwa, the spokesman for Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a multi-security taskforce, maintaining peace in the state, confirmed the development.
Takwa said, “Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN at Gyambus have been mobilised to the area and are on the trail of the kidnappers.”
The lawmaker representing Mangu South in the State House of Assembly, Bala Fwangje, also confirmed the incident.
According to the lawmaker, security operatives have been deployed to the community to find the kidnapped traditional ruler.
He said, “I just confirmed the kidnap incident with some of the security men. I also spoke with the paramount ruler, Mishkaham Mwaghavul of Mwaghavul nation who also confirmed to me what happened. Right now, the security men are in the bush trying to rescue the kidnapped traditional ruler.”