Bandits Abduct Two Kaduna Journalists, Their Wives, Children
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Two journalists, their wives and two children have been abducted from their homes in Danhonu community in Millennium City area of Kaduna.
The bandits said to be in large number were said to have stormed the residences of AbdulGafar Alabelewe of The Nation Newspapers and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blue Print Newspapers at 10:30pm on Saturday.
Taofeeq Olayemi, a relation of Aodu confirmed the incident on Sunday.
He said Alabelewe who is the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna, was abducted alongside his wife and two children, while Aodu was kidnapped alongside his wife.
The two journalists are said to be close neighbours.
Olayemi said the bandits were shooting sporadically before they abducted the journalists and their families.
He said, “Initially, they picked Alhaji Abdulgafar, his wife, three of his children and a girl staying with him.
But the girl was later asked to return back with one of the children and they went away with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.
“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their window burglary after scaling the fence”, Olayemi said.
According to him, the bandits first broke into Aodu’s residence and picked him and his wife, leaving their sick daughter behind.
He added that “they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence, forced his bedroom open and picked him, his wife and two of their children and left immediately”.
Olayemi said by the time the community vigilantes arrived, the bandits had fled.
Mansir Hassan, spokesperson of the Kaduna state police command, could not be reached when contacted as his mobile phone was not connecting.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has condemned the abduction of the journalists and their families.
In a statement on Sunday, the council appealed to security agencies to swing into action with a view to rescuing the journalists and their families from the kidnappers.
The statement jointly signed by Asmau Halilu and Gambo Santos, chairperson and secretary of the state council of the NUJ respectively, urged governments at all levels to intensify efforts towards guaranteeing the security of lives and property of citizens at all times.
The statement said “the ugly phenomenon of kidnapping in Kaduna and environs is now resurfacing and must be checked to avert the experiences of the recent past.”
The statement called for prayers for the safe return of the abducted journalists and their families.
It also urged journalists in the state to be vigilant in their daily activities.
