Five gunmen have abducted four kidnap and robbery suspects who were to be arraigned before Plateau High Court in Barkin Ladi Local Government on Thursday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the suspects; Umar Adamu, Bashir Mohammed, Musa Usman and Abdul Haruna, were to appear before Justice Nanpon Dadi when the incident occurred.
According to a Prosecutor from the Plateau Ministry of Justice, who spoke to the Nation anonymously said that the gunmen stormed the court premises in the morning, shooting in the air.
He said;
The suspects were to appear before Justice Nanpon Dadi but the judge was said to be away on an appeal panel in Jos. So parties in the matter decided to take a new date.While we were taking a date, the prison van came into the premises with the suspects, shortly after, the gunmen, in a commando manner, started shooting sporadically.
They overpowered the prison officials and everyone took to their heels, after which the gunmen took the suspects away.
The prosecutor added;
The prison officials immediately went to the Barkin Ladi police station for reinforcement, unfortunately the situation could not be salvaged as they had disappeared into the bush.
Mr Jacob Longden, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Plateau State Ministry of Justice, said the ministry is aware of the development and have reported the matter to the Attorney General, the Permanent Secretary and security agencies in the state.
Longden stated that the state Security Task Force (STF) was already on the trail of the gunmen and suspects.
