On Tuesday evening, suspected bandits kidnapped a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dr. Joseph Haruna Kigbu, while en route to Jos. The attack, which claimed the life of his police escort, highlights the ongoing security crisis in the region.
The ambush occurred around 6:00 p.m. on a stretch of road between Nunku in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and Gwantu in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State. According to witnesses, the assailants, armed with sophisticated weapons, launched a sudden attack on Dr. Kigbu’s convoy.
The police escort accompanying the former lawmaker reportedly engaged the bandits in a gunfight but was fatally shot during the exchange. Eyewitnesses described the chaos as the attackers fired indiscriminately, creating panic among motorists and nearby villagers.
Local residents, who confirmed the attack, revealed that the area has long been notorious for such criminal activities, with little intervention to address the insecurity. One resident lamented, “This road has been dangerous for years, yet nothing is done to protect travelers.”
Efforts to reach the Nasarawa State Police Command for an official statement were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer did not respond to calls at the time of reporting.
