By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi
Residents of Toro town, headquarters of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State are now in total apprehension following the kidnap of a Police officer by yet to be identified gunmen.
This is coming barely few hours after security agencies secured the release of 33 kidnapped victims in Alkaleri LGA.
Toro town was thrown into confusion Friday night when the yet to be identified gunmen stormed the area shooting randomly at night.
Residents of the town were thrown into confusion and ran helter skelter for safety as the gunmen scared them away in order to hit their target.
According to an eye witness who pleaded anonymity the gunmen, in the process, kidnapped one person whose name is withheld for security reasons being a serving Police Officer, an Assistant Supretendant of Police (ASP).
The eye witness narrated that the gunmen arrived the town at about 9pm in their numbers well armed with sophisticated arms which they shot in the air to create pandamenium among the residents.
The recurrent incidents of kidnappings for ransom in Toro Local Government has affected the economic activities of the area in recent times as people are afraid of going to do business in the area for fear of being kidnapped.
While reacting to the development, the Member representing Toro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives who is Adhoc Committee Chairman on Ecological Funds and Great Green Wall Hon. Ismail Haruna Dabo, condemned the development and called for calm.
He described the incident as unfortunate and regrettable considering the current economic situation while assuring the people on continued legislative interventions to bring an to the ugly trend.
The incident could not be officially confirmed as all efforts made to get reaction from the State Police Command failed as the Command PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili neither picked up the phone when his number was called several times nor respond to the sms and whatsapp messages sent to his mobile number as of the time of filling this report on Saturday at about 11.45am.
