Gunmen abduct another traditional ruler in Plateau

Gunmen have abducted the District Head of Vwang in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Da Gyang Balak Gut.

Mr Gut, who is the Da Gwom Rwei of Vwang, was reportedly accosted by armed men on Sunday night while returning home in Vom, a few metres to the entrance of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

He was subsequently taken away to an unknown destination and no one has caught wind of who the attackers were and if they would be making demands as has become in practice in recent times.

The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Gabriel Ubah, while confirming the incident, stated that the Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka, and senior police officers have visited the scene and mobilised security personnel to trail the abductors with instructions to rescue the paramount ruler unhurt.

Vwang district in Jos South Local Government hosts the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), as well as the College of Soil Science Technology among others.

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The abduction of the Gwom Rwei is coming barely a month after the kidnapping of another traditional ruler in the state, Charles Mato Dakat.

However, Dakat, who is the paramount ruler of Gindir in Mangu Local Government Area was released five days after his abduction.

His abductors had made contact with the family members a few days after they kidnapped him, and demanded the sum of N500 million ransom before they could release the monarch.

It is, however, not clear if the transaction was made; it is also unclear what role the security operatives played in the release of the traditional ruler.