18th March, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Bandits have invaded and abducted at least 87 people in Gangere and Aguna communities of Kufana District, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The bandits abducted the villagers from their homes and took them away in between late Sunday and early hours of Monday, according to Daily Trust.
Ben Yuhana, a resident of the community confirmed the mass abduction, according to the newspaper.
Yuhana was quoted as saying “Bandits entered Gangere and Aguba villages in Kufana District Kufana Chiefdom Kajuru LGA and kidnapped 87 persons between yesterday night and the early hours of today. I will keep you updated.”
However, the Kaduna State Government is yet to issue any statement on the latest attack.
Recall that bandits about two weeks ago abducted over 200 primary school pupils in Kuriga village of Chikun Local Government of Kaduna State.
The bandits also abducted another 60 villagers in the same area few days later.
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Lawal Adamu-Usman, on Sunday met with President Bola Tinubu on the abduction of Kuriga students and other security challenges in Kaduna State.
The Senator said after the meeting that the President had directed him to convene a stakeholders meeting to map out the best options to enhance community policing and decimate the terrorists in the constituency and across the state.
Adamu-Usman said “ the stakeholders meeting will also address the use of modern ways of cracking criminals, intelligence gathering, community policing, among others.’’
The lawmaker said the stakeholders would include security agencies, community leaders, traditional institutions, Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organizations, among others.
“President Tinubu expressed displeasure over the recurring bandits operations in the state especially the recent kidnapping of hundreds of students in Chikun local government area and other places in the state.
‘`Tinubu told me that we must find ways to restore security and harmonious coexistence among the people,’’ the Senator added.
According to him, the President also mandated the meeting to look into the issue of resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) including their feeding and security.
On the ransom demanded by bandits for the kidnapped Kuriga students, Adamu-Usman said,“ The Federal government has maintained a position that no kobo will be paid as ransom to kidnappers’’.
He called on communities to get involved in intelligence gathering and sharing to support security agencies in the efforts to end the activities of criminal elements in the country.
“ We must collectively work together to end this problem. President Tinubu is serious about ending the insecurity as such we should support him,’’ he added.
The Senator enjoined Nigerians to be patient with the current hardship caused by government economic reform policies, saying “it is a test that we must pass before we succeed”.
He urged Muslims to use the period of the Ramadan to pray for peace and prosperity in Nigeria.
Adamu-Usman sympathised with the families of the kidnapped Kuriga students, assuring that security agencies were working to rescue them.