Gunmen kidnap soldier’s wife, six others in Chikun LG

Abductors slash ransom on Plateau monarch to N10m

Seven persons, including the wife of a military officer, were kidnapped on Tuesday night when bandits attacked Keke ‘A’ and Keke ‘B’ areas of New Millennium City, Chikun Local Council, in Kaduna State.

Besides, the gunmen, according to the residents, started shooting sporadically around 11:00 p.m. till midnight before security operatives arrived to combat them.

A resident said three persons were kidnapped by the bandits at Keke ‘A’.

The source, a primary school teacher, said: “The bandits came around 11:00 p.m. I think their main target was a house in Keke A. The house belongs to a military officer. But at the time of the attack, the officer was not at home. So, the kidnappers broke into the house and picked up his wife and an immediate neighbour of the military officer.

“In fact, the neighbour was picked alongside his eight-year-old daughter, but they eventually dropped the daughter when her mother was shouting at top of her voice. I think it was at that point they started shooting sporadically to scare away people.”

She added that another man, who was returning home, ran into the kidnappers and they took him away.

A resident of Keke ‘B’ told journalists that he just returned home and was taking his shower when he started hearing gunshots.

“A man, his wife and their two housegirls were kidnapped. I was so terrified. I just got out of the bathroom abruptly and switched off all the lights inside my house,” the resident said.

Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Muhammad Jalige, did not respond to a call to confirm the incident, yesterday.

Meanwhile abductors of the District Head of Panyam in Mangu Local Council of Plateau State have reduced the ransom from N100 million to N10 million.

They reportedly spoke to the family on Tuesday evening and that they were ready to release HRH Adamu Derwam, if they could bring N50 million.

But the family kept appealing that they could not afford any amount but pleading that they should release the victim unhurt without any ransom.

Realising that nothing was forthcoming from the family, the kidnappers were said to have reduced the ransom to N10 million.

The abductors, The Guardian gathered, jokingly said they were tired of keeping their victim.

As at press time, yesterday, the family still stood its ground of incapability to pay ransom.