Gunmen suspected to be armed Fulani herdsmen, attacked the Makurdi residence of the former Chief of Staff to Benue State Governor, Terwase Orbunde, and abducted his wife and house help.
The attack took place close to the Genocide Cemetery along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi, the state capital at about six pm on Friday.
The former Chief of Staff escaped with a gunshot on his right arm while the attackers whisked away his wife, Abigail Kashimana Orbunde, and her house help, Patience Ogute.
Eyewitnesses say that Orbunde, his wife and house help, had gone to inspect the weeding of their farm located close to the road. They said after the inspection of the work, five gunmen suddenly attacked them as they walked back to their car.
It was reported that they opened fire and Orbunde received a bullet on the right arm while they ordered him and the women to follow them to an unknown destination.
The shooting was said to have caused villagers and passersby to scamper for safety in different directions.
As they marched along, the former Chief of Staff was said to be bleeding profusely and unable to walk quickly.
The witnesses who watched from a distance said the leader of the group ordered him to walk away while the gunmen took the women to an unknown destination while good Samaritans conveyed Orbunde to hospital.
Meanwhile, the gunmen have demanded N100 million ransom for release of the abducted wife and house help of the former Governor’s Chief of Staff.
Orbunde, who is being treated for gunshot injuries in hospital in Makurdi said the abductors spoke to him themselves and the captives at about 8.30am on Saturday.
He however said his wife and cook were very calm when they spoke with him.
He revealed that during the attack which took place at about 6pm, the gunmen spoke Fulani among themselves and communicated with him in Hausa saying they would contact him on phone.
The former Chief of Staff said they told him that he should be prepared to send money to them and that if he failed to do that they would kill his wife and cook.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
