Gunmen kill activist, kidnap another near Kaduna train station 

Armed bandits on Friday killed Rabiu Auwal, one of the activists championing #SecureNorth campaign and kidnapped another person along the Kaduna International Airport and Rigasa Railway Station, leaving another critically injured. 

The unfortunate incident reportedly involved the three casualties, who were returning from Rigachukwu, where they met with the Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammad Jalige did not respond to calls to his mobile phone, but an anonymous source explained that the gunmen opened fire on the car conveying Auwal, which claimed his life and led to the abduction of another person inside the vehicle.  

He said: “The remains of Auwal, who died at 44 Army Reference Hospital, was laid to rest yesterday, at Rigasa Cemetery.”

Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after the incident, the gunmen confirmed that one of the victims is with them, with bullet lodged in his body.

The victim, identified as Sani Khalil was one of the three people in the car, when the gunmen struck. A source close to the family said the kidnappers called yesterday, confirming that Khalil is with them. The victim was said to have spoken to the family too, explaining that he was shot and the bullet is still lodged in his body.

The source said the kidnappers snatched the phone from Khalil, stopping him from further explanation. The abductors have not made further demands, leaving the family in apprehension, though relieved knowing that the young man is alive.

In another development, passengers travelling to Abuja on a train from the Rigasa Station in Kaduna were allegedly stranded after their train broke down in the middle of nowhere.  A recent video in circulation recorded by one of the passengers showed passengers who alighted from the train, which stopped in the bush, taking fresh air outside.