Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Again, gunmen struck in embattled Birni Gwari community, called Kwanar-tsauni, Kaduna State, and abducted more than 20 travelers mostly women and children.
One of the attacked vehicles’ driver Muhammed Kabir who managed to escaped from the scene of the incident confirmed the development to Saturday Sun via telephone call.
According to Kabir, five vehicles were intercepted by kidnappers along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna road between 7:30 and 8:30 am this Friday.
“At least 20 people were kidnapped, including a nursing mother and one other kid.
“The incident occurred at Kwanar-tsauni between Udawa and Labi. The local vigilantes (Yanbanga) tried to assist but were overwhelmed by the kidnappers.”
He called on government to deploy more security personnel to the area as it was done on Funtua-Katsina road to put the situation under control.
Birni Gwari, one of the 23 local government areas in Kaduna is notorious for killings, banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping happening virtually on daily basis, despite the presence of both men of Nigerian Police and Nigerian Army in the area.
Several government representatives and security personnel include Minister of Interior, Lieut Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) and Chief of Army Staff, Lieut General Yusuf Buratai, have paid scheduled visits to this community, which its natives live in perpetual fear of the unknown and their economy grounded.
The State Police PRO, ASP Aliyu Mukhtar however said, one person died while only two persons were abducted from two vehicles as policemen engaged the armed bandits in gun duel.
He said police’s timely response led to the rescue of others in the two vehicles that were involved.
According to him, the vehicles, one of them Gulf 3, were traveling from Kaduna through Birni Gwari to Niger state at about 9 am Friday when the gunmen attacked them.
“We are on top of the situation. We were able to respond to the distress call and engaged the bandits in gun duel.
“A lady and driver of one of the vehicles were abducted and we are trailing their abductors. Unfortunately one person died during cross fire.”