The Adamawa State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of two reverend fathers from their home.

The command said on Saturday morning that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, who has condemned the “kidnapping of Reverend Father Mathew David Dusami of Yola Catholic Diocese and Reverend Father Abraham Samman of Jalingo Diocese” in the early hours of the day, has directed prompt action to secure the clerics’ release.

“The unfortunate incident occurred at the priests’ residence situated at Gwaida Malam, in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State,” the police said in a statement released to newsmen by police spokesperson Suleiman Nguroje.

“The kidnappers, armed with offensive weapons, arrived at the victims’ house around 4:00 a.m. and whisked them away,” Nguroje explained.

He stressed that the state Commissioner of Police has deployed the command’s operational and manpower assets to go after the kidnappers and rescue the victims unhurt.

“The progressive efforts of the command will definitely bring the perpetrators and other persons involved to face the full wrath of the law,” he assured.

He added that the kidnapping of religious leaders is totally unacceptable, as they are people actively working to promote peace in society.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has commended the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for going ahead with the local government election in the state.

Gatekeeper reports that before the commencement of the exercise on Saturday morning, opposition parties had raised security concerns.

The Nigeria Police Force, in a statement on Friday night, called for the suspension of the exercise, stating that unrest was likely to unfold following disagreements between political parties.

Similarly, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, warned the governor against going ahead with the election, citing a recent court judgment that reinstated chairmen elected in 2022 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Despite the concerns and legal advice, the governor insisted on carrying out the exercise.

Governor Adeleke cast his ballot at about 8 a.m. at Unit 9, Ward 2, in Ede North Local Government Area.

Speaking on the ongoing exercise, Atiku, in a post on his official Facebook page, commended the governor and urged all security agencies to perform their duties.

He wrote:

“As residents in Osun State go out to the polls today to elect council chairpersons, I once again urge for a peaceful and hitch-free exercise.

“The local council election is the heartbeat of a democratic system, given that its outcome impacts closely on the lives of the citizens.

“I commend Governor Ademola Adeleke for going ahead with the exercise and urge security agencies and polling officials to perform their duties with the highest sense of responsibility to the public.”

The Federal Government on Friday announced plans to cancel the visa-on-arrival policy.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this during the closing ceremony of a weeklong capacity-building training for personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.

According to reports, the capacity building training is one of the measures being adopted by the NIS to document everyone visiting the country.

Recall that the administration of the former President Muhammadu Buhari introduced the visa-on-arrival policy in 2020 as a short-stay visa issued at the point of entry.

Tunji-Ojo said the Federal Government would introduce landing and exit cards, which prospective visitors will pre-fill before coming into the country in place of the visa-on-arrival policy

The minister stressed the need to harmonise the immigration data centre and have integrated solutions for decisions that has to do with migration into Nigeria.