Gunmen identified as armed herdsmen have reportedly, attacked a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Mr Terwase Orbunde, abducted his wife and house help.
Barely 24 hours, the gunmen have demanded the sum of N100 million for their release.
Orbunde was the Chief of Staff to the immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Samuel Ortom.
He was also a governorship aspirant of the APC in the 2023 general elections.
A statement from his close aide, Tahav Agerzua, the attack took place on Friday, April 12, 2024, close to the Genocide Cemetery along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi, the state capital at about six pm.
The former Chief of Staff reportedly escaped with a gunshot on his right arm while the attackers whisked away Mrs Abigail Kashimana Orbunde, and her house help, Patience Ogute.
It was said that Orbunde, his wife and the house help had gone to inspect the weeding of their farm located close to the road.
They said after the inspection of the work and payment of the workers five gunmen suddenly attacked their victims as they walked back to their car.
It was reported that they opened fire and Honorable 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 Mr Orbunde to hospital.
Meanwhile the gunmen who attacked former Chief of Staff to the Benue State Governor, Terwase Orbunde, yesterday evening and abducted his wife and cook have demanded N100 million ransom for their release.
Orbunde, who is being treated for gunshot injuries in hospital in Makurdi said the abductors spoke to him at about 8:30 am today themselves and through the captives.
The former Chief of Staff 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 yesterday, 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.
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