From JOHN ADAMS, MINNA
There was pandemonium yesterday in Jermiya village, Rafi local government area of Niger state as armed men, numbering about 18 invaded the community and kidnapped a sharia court judge, Abubakar Jibrin.
The sharia court judge was returning from his work at Alawa when he was accosted by the kidnappers at Jerimiya village about 10 kilometers to Pandogari around 6:05 pm. The incident is coming barely three days after seven people were kidnapped and three others killed along same Alawa-Pandogari road.
The district head of Alawa, Ibrahim Saleh who confirmed the kidnap to our correspondent, said that the kidnappers have demanded N50 million ransom for the release of the Judge.
The village head said that the entire community now lives in fear following the activities of the armed men in the area. Just last week, gunmen, numbering about six attacked a filling station in Pandogari town and abducted the manager, one Malam Muazzam and three others.
The gunmen who arrived the station at about 6:30pm on motorcycles also shot and killed three persons at the spot before they went away with their victims. Among those killed, according to eye witnesses was one Abubakar whose wedding was said to be two weeks away.