A multimedia journalist with Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, Salis Manaja, has been abducted by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday while the journalist was travelling from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to Ilorin, Kwara State, for the PRNigeria Young Communication Scholars Fellowship.
Manaja was said to have been kidnapped along a section of the highway passing through Kogi State — a route that has become increasingly notorious for bandit attacks and abductions.
Confirming the development, the Head of Innovation and Special Projects at PRNigeria, Dahiru Muhammad-Lawal, said the incident had thrown the organisation’s staff members into deep distress.
“We were expecting to see him in Ilorin on Saturday, but his line became unreachable after he confirmed to us that he had departed from Abakaliki. We made several attempts to get in touch but to no avail. Eventually, we managed to speak with him through the number of his abductors on Sunday afternoon,” Lawal told journalists.
He added that the management of Image Merchants Promotion Limited is working closely with relevant security agencies to ensure Manaja’s safe release.
