Gunmen Abduct 13 Persons in Kaduna

Thirteen people were reportedly abducted in two communities on the notorious Kaduna-Abuja road.

The two communities namely: Begiwa-Kaso and Dutse were said to have been raided by the bandits last Saturday and on Monday respectively.

A community leader in Begiwa-Kaso, who spoke on the incident in his village, said the incident occurred last Saturday  at about 10:00p.m., adding that they were in a large number.

He said the hoodlums started shooting sporadically which caused pandemonium, as people were running helter-skelter for safety.

“They came at about 10:00p.m. on Saturday and started shooting. People started running for safety. They abducted seven people while some others were injured in the process,” he said.

In Dutse village, the bandits were said to have invaded the community in the early hours of yesterday.

An eye witness said the community was awoken by sounds of gunshots at about 3:00a.m., leading to fear and confusion as people started running for safety.

He said at the end of the attack, which lasted for less than 10 minutes, the bandits abducted six people from the communities.

According to the eyewitness, several communities on the Kaduna-Abuja road are being terrorised by kidnappers on a daily basis.

He added that many people have abandoned their farms for fear of being abducted by gunmen, noting that many others have relocated to other places.

The source, therefore, called on the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to come to the aid  of the communities before they are dislodged by bandits.

Spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Yakubu Sabo, did not respond to telephone calls and text messages sent to him.

Kaduna is one of the states facing serious security challenges occasioned by the high rate of kidnappings and banditry, especially on the Kaduna-Abuja road and the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road as well as endless attacks on many communities in the state.