By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi
The Chinese Expatriates who were kidnapped last Wednesday at the Symmentary Trading Company Limited at Alabaa in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State by unknown gunmen are yet to regain freedom from their Abductors.
Findings by Day Break showed that the where about of the aforementioned Expatriates is yet to be ascertained as no communication has been established between the kidnappers and relations of the Abductees.
It was further learned that there has been no demand for payment of ransom from the kidnappers since this incident occurred as at the time of filing this report.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of Ukum Local Government Council, Mr Steve Ayua who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Timothy Vihimga in a chat told Day Break that the Expatriates were yet to be released.
His words: “the Expatriates who were abducted are yet to be released”, adding that their is no latest development on the incident.
When contacted for update on the incident, the Police Spokesperson, Benue State Command, DSP Sewuese Anene told our Correspondent that She still await reports from the Police team of investigators.
“I am still waiting for report from the team of investigators”, Anene said. The PPRO noted that a team of Police Officers are currently on the trail of the kidnappers to ensure the release of the Expatriates.
It could be recalled that gunmen last Wednesday shot dead two Police Officers who were attached to the Expatriates, a Chinese Engineer and kidnapped two Expatriates at Alabaa in Ukum Local Government Area and took them to an unknown destination.
Informed sources told Day Break that the gunmen had laid ambush at the construction site of the company where they opened fire on sighting them, and it was in the process of trying to save the lives of the Expatriates that both the Police Officers and a Chinese Engineer lost their lives.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Government has begun negotiation with the Militia Group in the Sankera axis of the state where banditry is hitherto the order of the day with the aim to restore peace in the area.
Towards this end, the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom last week met with the Militia Group from Katsina-Ala in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. He was represented at the meeting by the former Ambassador, Chive Kaave.
Day Break’s checks revealed that the Militia Group at the meeting demanded among other things, official hand over of revenue collection points to them by government, release of the corpse of the late Militia Leader, Mr Terwase Akwaza otherwise referred to as Gana for burial in exchange for seize fire.
