Unknown gunmen, on Sunday, abducted a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State, Ben Akile.

The abductors, who have opened contact with the wife of the chieftain, were said to have demanded N50m ransom, Punch reports.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Bemgba Ioryyom, who confirmed the abduction of Akile, said the kidnappers were demanding N50m ransom from the family.

According to Ioryyom, the gunmen had opened contact with the victim’s wife and demanded N50m ransom.

It was gathered that Akile and the Legal Adviser of the party, Clement Mue, were travelling from Zaki Biam to Katsina Alla for a meeting when they ran into the bandits at Mbatom village in the Katsina Alla Local Government Area of the state.

According to Ioryyom, the men were waylaid by three gunmen, who ordered Mue to run and kidnapped Akile.

“The legal adviser was the one driving. When they ran into the bandits, the three people who were on motorcycle stopped them and went away with Akile.

“Now they have opened contact with the wife and were demanding N50m ransom,” Ioryyom said.

Earlier, a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Punch that the PDP members were on their way to Katsina Alla for a meeting convened by Senator Gabriel Suswan when they were attacked.

The meeting, according to him, was to discuss and find a way out of the present insecurity situation in the zone.