From Sola Ojo, Kaduna, and Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Nine persons were feared killed while 25 others, comprising mostly of women, were whisked away to an unknown destination by gunmen suspected to be bandits, along Kaduna-Kachia road, early hours of yesterday.
An account said the unfortunate incident took place less than a kilometre to Kasuwan Magani, in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
A source, who spoke to Daily Sun in confidence, said he, along with other travellers, arrived at the scene of the attack shortly after it happened, sighting about nine lifeless bodies at different spots, while a bus conveying Anglican Church members was abandoned with its occupants forced into the forest.
He said those who got killed were in a truck carrying firewood, while the kidnapped persons included 19 occupants of an Anglican Church bus and six others travelling in a Gulf-4 saloon car.
“Those killed were in a truck loaded with firewood,” he said.
Kaduna State Police Command and Ministry of Internal Security Home Affairs were yet to make public statements as of the time of filing this report.
In another attack, gunmen kidnapped a family of five in Ajowa-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government Area Ondo State.
The victims, sources said, were returning to Abuja after Easter break when they were kidnapped.
The victims, it was gathered, were kidnapped at gun point between Ajowa Akoko and Ayere in kogi State.
The development has thrown the town into serious apprehension and confusion.
Family sources said the kidnappers have contacted the family and demanded N10million ransom.
A resident of Ajowa Akoko and the immediate past chairman of Ajowa Akoko community Council, Mr Ajayi Bakare, attributed the incident to the deplorable condition of the road.
Bakare appealed to the state government to rehabilitate the road, so that free flow of vehicles would be made possible on the road.