Gunmen abduct former security officer in Nigeria

LAGOS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Unknown gunmen on Tuesday abducted a retired officer of the Nigerian State Security Service in the north-central state of Taraba, local police said.
Joseph Kwaji, the state police spokesperson confirmed the abduction of Hosea Danjuma to Xinhua, adding a special police squad has been ordered to rescue him.

Steven Agya, a local government chairman in Kurmi area of the state, said Danjuma was kidnapped around 1:47 a.m. local time on Tuesday by unknown gunmen at his residence in Baisa.
"We have mobilized youths of the area to team up with security agents to comb the entire area so as to rescue him," he added.
The abduction occurred two weeks after the mother of the Deputy Governor of the state, Hajiya Beli Manu, was held for several hours before she was released.
Abduction is not unusual in Nigeria. Since 2006, over 300 foreigners and citizens kidnapped in the country's Niger Delta area have been released after ransoms were paid.