At least eight charcoal burners have been abducted in Nyalun community, Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area, following an attack on Tuesday evening.
The victims were reportedly heading home after work when gunmen intercepted their vehicle and took them away.
A local youth leader, Shapi’i Sambo, explained that 10 people were initially kidnapped, but two were later released to deliver a ransom message.
“The victims were returning around 7:30 pm when the perpetrators suddenly stopped their vehicle loaded with charcoal and took them away,” Sambo said.
“It is a shocking incident because the victims were struggling to make ends meet when this happened.”
The attackers are believed to have moved the victims into the Kukawa bush, an area known for holding kidnapped victims.
One of those freed, Mummuni Musa, said: “After they kidnapped us, they tied us up and later released two of us.
The kidnappers told us to go home and tell the owner of the vehicle to sell it and pay the ransom for the eight persons.”
The incident adds to growing insecurity in Wase and nearby Kanam, where cases of kidnapping and banditry have continued to affect residents.
