Gunmen Kidnap Former Central Bank of Nigeria Director, DSS Officer

A former Director of Foreign Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Joseph Ogedegbe has reportedly been kidnapped by some unidentified gunmen.

The 91-year-old Ogedegbe was abducted on Sunday at St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Emevor, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State while he was exiting his vehicle, SaharaReporters reports.

A security officer was quoted as revealing that the kidnappers were members of the community and that the police had commenced investigation into the matter.

The report also quoted a family member as saying, “We are praying seriously that they don’t kill our father. We are also calling on the Chief Security Officer and Chairman of Isoko North LGA of Delta State, Mr. Emmanuel Egbabor, and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to see that something urgent is done to rescue our father.”

In a similar development, Tribune Newspaper reports that gunmen on Tuesday, kidnapped a retired Senior operative of the State Security Service (SSS) in Taraba State, Mr Hosea Danjuma, at his residence at Baisa town of Kurmi Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The kidnap of Danjuma, who retired from the service last year, took place at his residence in the early hours of Tuesday while the residents were asleep.

A family member Miss Adama Danjuma, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune on the ordeal, stated that the gunmen, who arrived on motorcycles, invaded the family house of Mr Hosea Danjuma, at about 1.47 a.m in their numbers with sophisticated weapons.

She said the gunmen gained entrance into the compound through the back gate of the house, adding that they threatened to  gun down anyone who showed any sign of resistance.

Confirming the incident, the local government chairman, Mr Steven Agya, informed the  Nigerian Tribune that he had already mobilised the youth of the area to complement the efforts of security operatives, by combing the area thoroughly for his whereabouts.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Taraba State command, ASP Joseph Kwaji confirmed the incident, and assured that the command had moved in to ensure that Danjuma is safely returned to his family.  He stated that no contact had been established with the kidnappers yet.

Nigerian Tribune recalled that this is coming barely two weeks, after the  mother of the state deputy governor of was kidnapped for hours, before she was released to the family, amidst other kidnapping activities in the state, particularly in the southern and  central zones of state.