Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the divisional police officer (DPO) for Mubi North Local Government Area in northern Adamawa State, security sources have said.

Residents said the DPO, Ahijo Mujeli, was kidnapped Tuesday night at Mararraban Mubi while coming back from Yola, the state capital.

“The DPO was coming back from Yola and all of a sudden some yet to be identified gunmen wielding sophisticated rifles attacked him at Mararraba at about 8 p.m. and whisked him away to an unknown destination” a local resident who asked not to be named said.

When contacted on the phone, the Adamawa police spokesperson, Suleiman Nguroje, said the DPO was abducted by gunmen on Tuesday night, along Mubi-Maraba road.

“He was driving in his personal car around 6.30 p.m., along Mubi-Maraba road near the toll-gate when he was abducted.

“There were gunshots around the area. When our men arrived, they met an empty car identified as his,” he said.

Mr Nguroje further that the anti-kidnapping unit and Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police swung into action, trailing the suspected kidnappers.

“We are hoping for a positive result and I want to use this opportunity to advise members of the public with relevant security information on criminals to avail the command same for necessary action, he said.

Adamawa like many other states in Nigeria has continued to witness cases of kidnap for ransom. Scores of people are kidnapped every month across Nigeria, many of them released after their relatives and friends pay ransom. Some of the kidnapped victims are also killed.

No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnap in Adamawa, a state that is also troubled by the Boko Haram insurgency.