Former Chief of Staff to the ex-governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Terwase Orbunde, is facing a harrowing ordeal as his wife, Mrs. Abigail Orbunde, and housemaid, Patience Ogute, have been abducted. The perpetrators, demanding a staggering N100 million ransom, struck as the trio inspected Orbunde’s farm near the Genocide Cemetery along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi around 6 pm on Friday.
Revealing the distressing situation, a trusted associate of Orbunde, Tahav Argezua, conveyed that the abductors communicated their demand to Orbunde, who is currently receiving medical care for gunshot wounds in an undisclosed Makurdi hospital. The former Chief of Staff recounted the ordeal, highlighting the calm demeanor of his wife and housemaid during a conversation initiated by the abductors at 8:30 am on Saturday.
Argezua further elucidated that the gunmen conversed in Fulani amongst themselves and switched to Hausa when communicating with Orbunde, emphasizing their intention to extort money from him under the threat of harm to his loved ones. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the kidnappers’ ominous warning of dire consequences should Orbunde fail to comply with their demands.
