File photo
The PUNCH reports that Bitrus Musa, the owner of a hospital in Plateau State, has been kidnapped by gunmen.
It was learnt that Musa, who is the proprietor of G-Medicals at the Tina junction suburb of the Jos North Local Government Area of the state, was kidnapped on Tuesday from the neighbouring Furaka community.
A resident of Furaka, John Maxwell, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Jos on Wednesday, stated that the gunmen moved to Eto Baba, another neighbouring community, and abducted a nursing mother, identified simply as Pauline, while leaving her baby behind.
He said the incident caused confusion in the affected communities, adding that the whereabouts of the two victims remained unknown.
Maxwell stated, “Gunmen abducted the owner of the hospital and one woman at Eto Baba yesterday (Tuesday) around 8pm.
“Musa is the proprietor of G-Medicals in Tina junction, but he shuttles between the hospital and Furaka, where he lives.
“The gunmen trailed him to his house and abducted him. Thereafter, a nursing mother, who recently moved to the nearby Eto Baba community from Yan Trailer, was also taken way by the gunmen, who abandoned her little child.
“Her name is Paulina, but her husband was not in the house when the gunmen took her away. None of them has been seen since they were abducted. It’s very unfortunate.”
When contacted, the spokesman for the state police command, Ubah Ogaba, confirmed the abduction in the Furaka community.
He stated, “Police operatives of the command had an encounter with hoodlums at Maijuju town in the Fursum district of Jos East, where there was a shootout and one of the hoodlums was shot dead, while others escaped with bullet wounds.
“Intelligence report at our disposal revealed that a nurse was abducted at Furaka to treat the wounded hoodlums.
“Concerted efforts are on by the police tactical and intelligent teams to rescue the victim and arrest the perpetrators.”