An official statement indicates that a senior government official in Niger state, central Nigeria, has been kidnapped.
Mohammed Sani Idris, Niger’s state commissioner for information was abducted from his home by an armed gang at about 01:00am local time on Monday.
This comes less than a week after the parents of the speaker of parliament in neighbouring Zamfara state were kidnapped.
About 20 gunmen abducted Alhaji Muhammed Saani Idriss, the commissioner for information in Niger from his hometown of Baban Tunga in the Tafa local government area.
Security agencies have reportedly mounted a search operation for his rescue.
The state’s government secretary, Alhaji Ahmed, said: “Security is already on the trail of the kidnappers, we hope they will discover him soon and rescue him unharmed.”
Governor Saani Bello also confirmed the abduction, with his chief press secretary, Mary Noel-Berje, saying security agencies are trailing the bandits who are responsible.
Nigeria’s Niger state has been hit with a wave of attacks and abductions by bandits. About 27 students were kidnapped in the town of Kagara in February.
Other mass abductions in the state include the kidnapping of over 100 pupils in the Tegina area. The pupils are currently still in captivity.
