Bandits kidnap two journalists, family members in Kaduna

Suspected bandits have kidnapped two journalists and their families in Danhonu community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The victims, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe and AbdulRaheem Aodu, who are correspondents for The Nation and Blueprint Newspapers, respectively, in Kaduna State, were abducted when the bandits attacked the community on Saturday night.

Tribune Online learnt that Alabelewe, who is the current chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, was taken alongside his wife and two children.

Aodu and his wife were also kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.

According to a family member of one of the victims,  Taofeeq Olayemi, the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30 pm, shooting sporadically before the abduction.

The bandits initially took Alabelewe, his wife, three children, and a guest, but later released the girl and one of the children, the source told Daily Trust.

“They entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence.

“They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air,” he added.

The command Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, who also confirmed the incident t said its operatives were trying their best to secure their release.

He said: “We have deployed our operatives into the bush where the kidnappers are suspected to be.

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