Gunmen Kidnap Two Kaduna Journalists, Wives, Others

Some bandits in large numbers on Saturday night invaded Dahjonu Community in Millennium City of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and abducted two journalists -The Nation’s Abdulgafar Alabelewe and Blueprint newspaper’s AbdulRaheem Abdu as well as their wives and children.

Alabelewe is also the current chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council.

One of the victims’ family member, Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits invaded the area around 10:30pm and shot indiscriminately before carrying out their dastardly act.

Olayemi said the bandits kidnapped Alabelewe, his wife and two of his children while Aodu and his wife who was also sick were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.

He said, “Initially, they picked Abdulgafar,his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return back with one of the children and left with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.

“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence.”

Olayemi, who is also a neighbour to the victims, added, “they came around 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically. They first bursted 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 Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, ASP, could not be reached because his telephone was not connecting.