The wife and househelp of Hon. Terwase Orbunde, the former Chief of Staff to the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, were abducted by suspected herdsmen on Friday evening.

The attack occurred near the Genocide Cemetery along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi, the state capital, around 6 pm.

The victims, identified as Mrs Abigail Kashimana Orbunde and her house help, Patience Ogute, were reportedly returning to their car after inspecting and paying workers on their farm when they were ambushed by five armed men.

During the assault, Hon. Orbunde was shot in the right arm but managed to escape, although he was seriously injured.

Eyewitness accounts reveal a chaotic scene, with villagers and passersby fleeing in various directions following the gunfire.

The attackers forcibly took Mrs. Orbunde and Ms. Ogute to an unknown location.

According to witnesses who spoke with The Nation, as the group marched away, the former Chief of Staff, bleeding profusely, was ordered to walk away from the scene while the women were taken captive.

Good Samaritans later rushed Hon. Orbunde to a nearby hospital, where he is currently receiving medical treatment for his gunshot wound.

Hon. Orbunde had served as Chief of Staff during former Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration before resigning to contest in the PDP gubernatorial primary. He later joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) but was unsuccessful in securing a nomination.