Nasarawa State, Nigeria – On Saturday night, a group of unidentified gunmen launched an attack on the residence of Mr. Labaran Maku, the former Minister of Information, in Akpata community, Akun, Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. During the incident, four security personnel sustained injuries in the onslaught.
According to one of the injured security personnel, who chose to remain anonymous, the assailants stormed the residence around 7:50 p.m., forcefully gaining entry and immediately opening fire. The attackers, communicating in Hausa language, continued to fire indiscriminately, resulting in injuries to four security personnel present at the scene.
“I refused to open the gate for them because I did not know who they were, they started shooting and jumped the fence into the compound,” the injured security personnel recounted to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
This incident marks the third time that Mr. Labaran Maku’s residence and his relatives have come under attack by criminals. The former minister expressed his concern over the escalating state of insecurity in Nasarawa State, lamenting the prevalence of kidnapping, banditry, and other forms of violence.
Maku recalled previous attacks on his family members, stating, “About a month ago, these criminal elements invaded my father’s compound at the village and kidnapped three of my family members. About two years ago, they killed two of my elder brother’s children at his residence in Gudi community of Akwanga local government area.”
In response to the incident, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State strongly condemned the attack and issued a directive to the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators swiftly. Mr. Peter Ahemba, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs, made this announcement in a statement, adding that the government was actively implementing strategies to address all forms of insecurity in the state.
The attack on Mr. Labaran Maku’s residence has further highlighted the urgent need for enhanced security measures in Nasarawa State, where criminal elements appear to be operating with impunity. The state government and security agencies are under increased pressure to take immediate action to protect the lives and properties of residents and bring an end to the wave of violence sweeping across the region.
