9 Abducted In Benue As Kaduna Community Protest Kidnap Of 7 Residents

Residents of Danhonu II community in New Millennium City, Chikun local government area, Kaduna State, have staged a protest at the Millennium City Divisional Police Headquarters over the abduction of seven residents.

They demanded urgent action against a surge in kidnappings in the area.

The protesters, who blocked the major access road to the police station in the area from 7 a.m., accused security agencies of failing to curb the wave of abductions that have plagued their neighbourhood in recent months.

According to protesters, bandits struck again at about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, abducting seven persons from two families.

They listed the victims as Malam Yahaya Yusuf, his wife Latifat Yusuf, and their sons Abdulgafar and Abdulqudus, as well as Mrs Abdulrazak Jimoh and two of her children.

The community said the latest incident marks the 11th kidnapping case in Danhonu II within a few months.

The chairman of the Danhonu II Landlords Association and leader of the protesters, Akoh Salifu, appealed for urgent security intervention.

“We are here because the pressure from repeated kidnappings has become unbearable. Some youths attempted to trail the kidnappers after Sunday’s attack but could not reach them”.

“As law-abiding citizens, we decided to formally register our grievances and appeal for urgent security intervention”.

Confirming the incident with LEADERSHIP in a telephone interview, Kaduna State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, said security operatives were deployed in the area, “We confirm the incident, and we have made a lot of deployment of our personnel there, and the Commissioner of Police assured them the command’s readiness to ensure safety”

In related development, no fewer than nine worshipers were reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Utonkon, Ado Local Government Area of Benue.

Some of the residents who spoke to journalists narrated that the bandits in the early hours of  Sunday invaded St. John’s Catholic Church at Ojije and whisked away the nine worshippers.

The Chairman of the Ado local government area, Sunday Oche, confirmed the incident but said security agencies had been mobilised to rescue the affected worshippers.

However, Benue State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Edet Udeme, did not answer or return calls made to her phone regarding the incident.