Journalist Abducted In Kaduna

A retired staff member of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Kaduna Station, Malam Umar Usman Iyale, has been abducted by suspected bandits in Danhonu II community, Millennium City, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Usman, a veteran photojournalist who worked with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Kaduna, before joining AIT, was kidnapped on Monday, around 9 pm, according to sources.

Sources said the kidnappers carried out the operation in a coordinated manner, gaining access to the compound at a time when some members of the journalist’s family were yet to return home.

Also, it was gathered that the hoodlums demanded money from the victim, and when he could not provide, they forcefully abducted him to an unknown destination.

Recalled that in 2024, bandits abducted two journalists, including the current Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, AbdulGafar Alabelewe of The Nation newspaper, and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint Newspaper, alongside members of their families from the same Millennium City.

When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Command confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation had been commenced.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, had immediately deployed a team of operatives to track down the abductors and secure the safe release of Umar unhurt.