Sola Ojo, Kaduna

The Kaduna State police command on Monday confirmed that, three out of four people kidnapped by bandits along Birni Gwari road on Saturday were students, returning home after writing this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Birni Gwari has in the past five years, become a no-go-area for travelers due to intense activities of bandits who have taken over the major highway that connects the North to the South-West despite the efforts of government and security agencies in the area.

Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, ASP Muhammad Jalige, confirmed the killing of Ibrahim Idris, the driver of the vehicle the abductees were traveling in, before they were whisked away including a one-and-a-half-year old girl believed to be the daughter of a female student among them.

The police spokesman gave their names as Yusuf Sani, Ummi Sani and Umairah Mustapha (female) and a little girl.

“Yes, there was an attack on Saturday on Birnin-Gwari road. The driver of the vehicle was shot to death and four other people were kidnapped.

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“The incident happened around a village called Ungwan Yako.

“Three of the kidnapped victims are candidates who came to Kaduna to write UTME exam. They were on their way back when the incident happened. They are Yusuf Sani, Ummi Sani and Umairah Mustapha. The fourth person is a little baby, a year-and-a-half old.

“The police around the area engaged the criminals and recovered their motorcycle. We are still on the trail of the criminals to rescue the abductees.

“The commissioner has directed for more deployment (of police personnel) on the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road and one Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) has been deployed to man that area.

“The Armour Personnel Carrier (APC) is just about to leave the police headquarters now to the place,” said the PPRO.