From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Bandits in large numbers stormed the Danhonu community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Saturday night. The bandits abducted Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, a reporter for *The Nation* newspaper and current chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council, along with his wife and two children. Also abducted was AbdulRaheem Aodu, a reporter for *Blueprint* Newspaper, and his wife.
Taofeeq Olayemi, a family member of one of the victims, confirmed the incident. He said the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30 pm on Saturday night and began shooting sporadically before abducting the victims.
“Initially, they picked Alhaji AbdulGafar, his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them,” Olayemi said. “They then asked the girl to return with one of the children, leaving with AbdulGafar, his wife and two children.”
Read also: 2 beheaded, 7 kidnapped, houses burnt in Ebonyi community
The bandits shattered doors and windows and removed burglar bars after scaling fences to gain access to the homes.
Olayemi, who is a family member of Mr Aodu and lives close to the victims’ houses, said, “They came around 10:30 pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically. They first burst 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,” he continued. “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.”
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mansir Hassan, could not be reached for comment at the time of this report.
Read also: Anambra Catholic priest kidnapped