Bandits Kidnap Ex-NLC President, 2 Journalists, Families In Kaduna

A former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Takai Shamang has been abducted in his hometown, Biniki, in Kaura local government area of Kaduna State.

Shamang, 78, was also a former president general of the National Union of Electricity and Gas Workers, now the National Union of Electricity Employees, between 1982 and 1989.

Confirming the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), his daughter, Mrs Grace Abbin, said her 78-year-old father was abducted at his residence in Biniki, at about 8:00pm on Friday.
Shamang is the president and founder of Gantys Aid for Widows, Orphans, and Needy Foundation, popularly known as GAWON Foundation.

Bandits have also abducted The Nation and Blueprint Newspapers’ reporters in Kaduna State.

The incident occurred on Saturday night when the bandits stormed Danhonu 2 community in the Millennium City of Chikun local government area.

The reporters are Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe and AbdulRaheem Aodu, respectively, who were kidnapped alongside their wives and children.

Alabelewe is the current chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.

A family member of one of the victims, Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits attacked the community at about 10:30 pm on Saturday and shot sporadically before they kidnapped the victims.

He said they abducted Alabelewe, his wife, and two of his children, while Aodu and his wife were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.

“Initially, they picked Alabelewe, his wife, three of his children, and a girl living with them before asking the girl to return with one of the children, leaving with the journalist, his wife and two children.”
The bandits later dumped Aodu’s wife in the bush due to her health condition. She managed to return home, albeit traumatised.

Meanwhile, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has condemned the abduction of the victims and demanded their immediate release.

Also, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in a message jointly signed by the council chairman Asmau Yawo Alilu and secretary Santos Gambo, described the abduction as barbaric, while that of SWAN, signed by its secretary Okpani Jacob Dickson, called on relevant government and security agencies to secure their release unhurt.

The spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, Munsir Hassan, said the command had deployed their men after the kidnappers and that they would not leave any stone unturned until they were released.