A group of bandits launched a raid on the Dahjonu community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Saturday night, abducting two journalists, Abdulgafar Alabelewe of The Nation and AbdulRaheem Abdu of Blueprint newspaper, along with their families, including their wives and children.
Abdulgafar Alabelewe, one of the abducted journalists, currently serves as the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.
According to Taofeeq Olayemi, a family member of one of the victims, the bandits launched a violent attack on the area around 10:30 pm, firing shots indiscriminately before proceeding to carry out the abduction.
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 with one of the children and left with Abdulgafar, his wife, and two children.
“They shattered their doors and windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence.”
Olayemi, who is also a neighbour to the victims, added, “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.”
At the time of writing this report, attempts to reach the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, for an official statement were unsuccessful.
Punch
