The District Head of Panyam in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Adamu Derwam has been kidnapped by  gunmen.

The gunmen, suspected to be bandits, reportedly invaded the palace at about 1:30am on Monday, shooting sporadically to scare away residents. 

A resident of the community, Moses Garuba, said the bandits, were about 20 in number.

“It was last night around midnight that the bandits, who were more than 20 and heavily armed, surrounded the district head’s palace in Panyam.

“Because his house was not fenced, some villagers who saw how his house was surrounded by strange people alerted other members of the community through a community bell. But immediately the bandits heard the bell, they started firing gunshots and eventually went away with the traditional ruler, leaving the community helpless”  He said.

Spokesperson for the State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo  who confirmed the incident, said a tactical team of Police, Military, Vigilante and hunters have been deployed to the area to rescue the paramount ruler.

Alabo, who assured that effort is being made to rescue the victim unhurt, solicited the public to give the police credible information on how to track the perpetrators of the crime.

The kidnap of the district head is the latest in a series of abductions targeted at traditional rulers and the clergymen in the state.