Salis Manaja, a staff member of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, has reportedly been kidnapped while traveling from Ebonyi to Kwara State for the company’s annual Young Communication Fellowship programme.
Manaja reportedly embarked on the trip on Saturday but went missing after repeated attempts to reach him by phone failed. Colleagues raised the alarm on social media over his disappearance.
Abdulrasheed Kofa, a former fellow of the programme, appealed for prayers on Facebook, describing Manaja as a “dedicated multimedia journalist” and praying for his safety and the strength of his family. Another colleague, Nuhu Masa, confirmed that all efforts to reach Manaja had been unsuccessful.
Human rights and anti-corruption activist Umar Umar condemned the incident, calling it “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” and urged the Federal Government and security agencies to take decisive action. “This unfortunate incident is yet another painful reminder of the alarming state of insecurity in our country, where innocent citizens are no longer safe on our highways,” Umar said.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama reported that the abductors had contacted Manaja’s family, demanding a ransom. The exact location of the kidnapping remains unconfirmed. Attempts to reach the Nigerian Police Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, and PRNigeria’s official contact numbers were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The abduction highlights the growing insecurity along major travel routes in Nigeria. In December 2024, Gregory Maduakolam, assistant editor-in-chief at the News Agency of Nigeria, was also kidnapped and later released.