A wave of tension has swept through Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, as unknown gunmen abducted a traditional ruler, Emmanuel Omanji, the Sangarin Dari, in a late-night raid on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, numbering several, stormed the monarch’s private residence in Dari — near Garaku, the LGA headquarters — around 11:00 to 11:30 pm, firing multiple gunshots into the air to disperse bystanders before seizing the royal figure.
The shocking incident was confirmed by Dr. John W. Mamman, Nasarawa State Commissioner of Education and a native of Dari:
“The kidnappers stormed the palace and fired sporadically to scare people. They then took the king away.”
This brazen act comes just three months after Emmanuel Omanji was officially crowned as Sangarin Dari by a college of selectors and formally recognised by the Nasarawa State Government.
The Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, also confirmed the abduction to newsmen.
“I confirm that this incident happened yesterday. Commissioner of Police Shetima Jauro Mohammed has mobilised the anti-kidnapping unit, the military, and the vigilante to conduct a search-and-rescue operation aimed at rescuing the victim and apprehending the perpetrators,” he stated.
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He urged residents to assist by providing any information that could aid the operation, assuring them of complete confidentiality and swift action.
This incident adds to the growing list of traditional leaders across Nigeria who have become targets of violent abductions, raising national concerns about the safety of community heads and the escalating insecurity in the country.
Security experts continue to urge the government to prioritize intelligence-led policing, community vigilance, and increased rural patrols to curb the menace of kidnappings across Nigeria.
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