Bandits kill man, kidnap pregnant wife, children, others in Kaduna

• Two abductees regain freedom as Plateau threatens criminals
• Query APC leaders for alleged terrorism, PDP demands

Gunmen invaded Gbagyi community in Kaduna metropolis, killed one person and kidnapped his pregnant wife, children and others.

The bandits, who came on motorbikes, each rider carrying two gunmen, attacked Gbagyi Villa, a community on the way to Kaduna Refinery, on Monday night.

Police Spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige, did not respond to inquiries by journalists on the issue.

However, a resident of the community said several other bandits, who sneaked into the community from a riverside, later joined those on bikes.

According to a witness, Mr. Andoma Usman, bandits numbering over 30 stormed the community around 10p.m. on Monday evening, shot the first person they encountered near his house, then proceeded to his compound and abducted his pregnant wife and two children.”

Usman told The Guardian that the hoodlums were about going to the next house when Nigerian army personnel arrived at the scene and engaged them in a heavy gunfight that lasted over an hour.

MEANWHILE, wife of the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Plateau State Deputy Governor, Dorcas Silas Vem, who was kidnapped on Sunday evening, has been released.

Government House sources identified the woman as an employee of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) and the husband as the Deputy Chief of Staff to Deputy Governor Sonnie Tyoden.

Also, a Director of Plateau State Ministry of Health (MoH), Dr. Simon Audu, who was also kidnapped in a separate operation same day, regained his freedom.

Confirming Audu’s abduction, a worker at the MoH said the director was going home after close of work on Monday night, when some gunmen abducted him at Barkin Ladi Local Council.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Gabriel Ogabah, confirmed the abduction and the release of the duo, but refused to talk about payment of ransom before they were released.

FOLLOWING recent cases of ritual killings by suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’, as well as kidnappings and other criminal activities, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has vowed to make the state uninhabitable for criminals.

Speaking during an interdenominational church service to mark the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Emblem Appeal Launch at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church, Rayfield Jos, Lalong decried the recent cases of ritual killing and kidnapping in Jos.

MEANWHILE, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told security agencies to invite leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for questioning over their alleged connections with terrorists.

The PDP demanded that following Federal Government’s declaration of the bandits pillaging various parts of the country as terrorists, the security agencies should commence investigation on APC leaders, for reportedly importing terrorist elements into the country as well as condoning their atrocious activities against Nigerians.

In a statement, yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, urged the security agencies to “investigate the confession by a former top APC member that APC leaders imported terrorist elements as rig the elections.”