From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The spectre of insecurity in Ibarapa community of Oyo State reared its head again, yesterday, as gunmen reportedly abducted 18 passengers travelling along Eruwa/Igbo-Ora road.
Although information on the kidnap was still sketchy at the time of filing this report, Olatunji Badmus, a member of the local vigilante in Ibarapa area, told an online media that the group had been alerted over the incident.
“We are still waiting for further directives. We were only told to be prepared because some gunmen kidnapped 18 passengers travelling along Igbo-Ora road. I don’t have the detail for now; the police should have the detail because they have been briefed,” he said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, however, refuted the report yesterday, and cautioned the public to desist from carrying baseless rumours that would create fear in the society.
In a related development, gunmen, yesterday, reportedly stormed the General Hospital, Idon, Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State and took away two young female nurses who were running a night shift.
The incident, which happened early yesterday, has thrown the management, staff and patients at the facility located along Kaduna-Kachia road, into confusion.
“The bandits stormed the general hospital through the fence with heavy weapons and shot sporadically within the hospital premises. Two nurses on night duty came out in their uniforms and they identified them as medical staff of the hospital and kidnapped them.
“When we heard gunshots, we remained at our various homes, until a call was put through to us that it was kidnappers that invaded the hospital, only for us to discover that two of the nurses on night duty were taken away by the bandits.
Another source, who spoke in confidence, later identified the returned staff as a security guard at the facility who took cover for his dear life when he heard continuous gunshots.
The suspected kidnappers have not made any contact with the hospital management or the families of the abducted female nurses.
But, the Medical Director of the facility, Dr Shingyu Shamnom confirmed the incident to a media source, yesterday.
Though police spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige, did not pick his call when he was contacted, Samuel Aruwan, commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, confirmed the incident.