Gunmen have abducted a mobile policeman attached to Operation Farauta, a special task force working to tackle kidnapping in Adamawa State.
Sources said the policeman who is a resident of Mubi, a principal town in the northern part of Adamawa, was deployed to Mayo-Belwa local government to be part of efforts to tackle kidnapping which has become rampant around Mayo-Belwa.
Operation Farauta is a joint team comprising police, soldiers and local hunters formed in Adamawa State to check rising incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery perpetrated mostly by a youth gang called Shilla Boys in local parlance.
The abduction of the MOPOL is said, however, to be possibly a case of mistaken identity.
It was gathered Monday morning that gunmen who stormed Mayo-Belwa around 7:00pm on Sunday in a convoy of motorcycles were on the trail of a rich man in the area called Idi Bage.
According to a source, “The man whom the gunmen were looking for owned a mansion beside the Mayo-Belwa to Jalingo highway and who is known to always dress immaculately.
“Luckily for him on that fateful day, he did not dress elegantly but had changed into a casual local dress.
“Unfortunately, the MOPOL who wore an expensive-looking flowing gown in celebration of Christmas was mistaken for the rich man.”
In a telephone conversation with newsmen on Monday afternoon, the Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the abduction.
Nguroje said, “Yes, it is true. The officer was swooped on and taken away while he was in a relaxed atmosphere with his friends.”
He said the state Police Commissioner, CP Adamu Barde has ordered a search to rescue the abducted officer and apprehend the abductors
