Gunmen abduct eight persons in Katsina, demand N60 million

Gunmen, yesterday, abducted eight persons in the Katsina State capital. The incident occurred about 04:00am at Unguwan Shola, a community near the former Federal Medical Centre (FMC), which was recently converted to a teaching hospital.

The Guardian learnt that the gunmen abducted seven men and one woman. However, the police said the terrorists abducted only six people.

Though no life was lost, it was gathered that some residents sustained injuries while fleeing from the gunmen. Sources said the abductors, who came in their numbers on motorcycles, went from one house to another, demanding money, phones, food items and other valuables.

“After operating for sometime without hindrance, they went away with seven men and a woman,” a source added.

According to him, efforts by some residents to contact security operatives to rescue them proved abortive. He called on the state government and the police to beef up security in the area.

Following the incident, a relative of one of the victims, who pleaded anonymity, said the terrorists called, yesterday, and demanded N60 million ransom; that is N7.5 million for each of the victims.

He said the families of the victims met and discussed the development, but was silent on any decision to pay or negotiate the demand.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident, but said only six people were abducted. Isah said that the Divisional police Officer (DPO) of the Central Police Station in the state capital, reported that he got a report that 12 terrorists on motorbikes, armed with AK-47 rifles, invaded Shola Quarters and abducted six members of the community.

His words: “The Commissioner of Police has deployed the anti-kidnap unit, in addition to other operational assets of the command to the area. He gave them order and restated that the command would not rest on its oars until the victims are rescued unhurt. Investigation is ongoing. Those abducted are Tanimu Adamu, Abdullahi Isiya, Isiya Rabiu, Ibrahim Adamu, Mannir Jayi, and a woman (name withheld). Jayi, who escaped from the abductors, is helping the police in investigations.”

When asked about the ransom demand by the terrorists, Isah said the command had yet to receive information regarding same.

THE Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria (CSSLN) has charged the Federal Government and security agencies to be more proactive in their fight against terrorism.

Chairman of CSSLN/Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, in a condolence message to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, yesterday, said the government must step up the security of life and property.

Abubakar stated: “We pray God grants those that lost their lives in the dastardly act eternal rest and their families fortitude to bear the loss. We convey our deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the government of Ondo, praying God to grant quick recovery to all those that sustained injuries from terror attacks.

“Once again, we call on the Federal Government and all the relevant authorities such as security agencies to be more proactive in the fight against terrorism to ensure security of life and property of the country’s citizenry and residents. We call on the security agencies, in particular, to, henceforth, deploy their professionalism in intelligence gathering to forestall similar terror attacks. For effective accomplishment of their noble goals in the fight against terrorism in the country, the security agencies must ensure synergy among them.”