Bandits Abduct Two Journalists, Families in Kaduna
Bandits invaded the Dahjonu community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Saturday night, abducting two journalists, their wives, and children.
The victims include Abdulgafar Alabelewe, a journalist with The Nation and chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council, and AbdulRaheem Abdu, a journalist with Blueprint newspaper.
According to Taofeeq Olayemi, a family member of one of the victims, the bandits invaded the area around 10:30 pm, shooting indiscriminately before carrying out the abduction.
“Initially, they picked Abdulgafar, his wife, and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return with one of the children and left with Abdulgafar, his wife, and two children,” Olayemi said.
The bandits also kidnapped Abdu and his wife, who was reportedly sick, leaving behind their sick daughter.
Olayemi, a neighbour of the victims, described the incident: “They came around 10:30 pm on Saturday and started shooting indiscriminately. They first forced Aodu’s door open and picked him and his wife and left their sick daughter behind.
Then, they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence and jumped into his house. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife, and two of their kids and left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air.”
As of the time of filing this report, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, could not be reached for comments as his telephone line was not connecting.