BANDITS ABDUCT TWO JOURNALISTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IN KADUNA STATE 07-07-24
By Sadiq Aminu The armed men stormed Danhonu 2 community in Millennium city of Chikun local government area of Kaduna and raided houses of the reporters of The Nation newspaper, AbdulGafar Alabelewe, and the Blueprint Newspaper, AbdulRaheem Aodu, their wives and children.
Alhaji Alabelewe is also the current Chairman of the correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.
A family member of one of the victims Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30pm last night and started shooting sporadically before carrying out their action.
He said they kidnapped AlbdulGafar his wife and two of his children, while Audu and his wife were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.
“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, leaving with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.”
“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence.”
Olayemi, a family member of Mr. Aodu, who lives close to the victims’ houses said,” They came around 10:30pm on Saturday 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. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids. They left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air.”
In another development, the wife of the Blueprint Newspaper Correspondent AbdulRaheem Audu escaped from the kidnappers.
One of the eye witnessed told Africa247 correspondent that the solders visited the area shortly after the incident.
The Police Public Relations Officer Kaduna Command, ASP Mansir Hassan could not be reached for reaction as his phone was not connecting as at the time of filing this report.
In another development, Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of two Kaduna base Journalists, AbdulGafar Alabelewe and Abdulraheem Audu of The Nations and Blue print newspapers respectively.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public
Relations Officer, Kaduna State Command ASP Mansur Hassan said that his men are still in the bush, adding that all efforts are in place to rescue the victims unhurt.