Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Two locales were allegedly shot dead Thursday night when armed kidnappers stormed a growing Kaduna community called Juji in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State during a foiled kidnapping attempt.
This was coming a few days after four (three girls and a boy) JSS 3 students of Prince Academy and a teacher were kidnapped in another axis of the same Chikun local government area of the state. No contact has been made by the kidnappers.
Juji, though geographically located in Chikun local council, is part of Kaduna town and one of the immediate host communities of Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company(KRPC).
The community, which majority of its dwellers are agrarian, have suffered untold hardship in the hands of criminal elements including the kidnap and murder of a pregnant woman after a fat ransom was paid by her husband, Dr Philip Ataga some months ago.
A source within the community said in confidence that, as usual, the kidnappers came under the cover of night at about 1100hours Thursday, August 28, shooting sporadically for hours which attracted locales before the arrival of security men.
The source said the two unlucky youths had come from neighbouring Baban-Saura following the gunshot they heard to assist in foiling the kidnap of their neighbours when they were shot dead by the angry criminals.
“I can’t talk with you at length on the phone. But, we had a terrible experience last night around 11 pm. The kidnappers came again but we resisted despite the intimidation because they were shooting continuously for hours.
“We have been living in fear in Juji. They have been kidnapping us for ransom. We have made up our mind to resist all manners of criminal intention against us here in Juji no matter the intimidation.
“I think they rely on the poor road network and fast forest behind KRPC. They failed this time as they were unable to kidnapp, anyone”, the source said.
Police Public Relations Officer for the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mohammed Jalige could not pick up his calls to confirm the development as at the time of filing this report.