•Gunmen
48 hours after the abduction of two journalists and their family members in Kaduna state, their whereabouts have remained unknown.
It was earlier reported how armed men stormed Danhonu community in Millennium city of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna and raided the houses of the reporters of The Nation newspaper, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, and that of Blueprint Newspaper, AbdulRaheem Aodu, abducting them, their wives and children.
The bandits later released Abdulraheem’s wife after she was unable to keep up as she was recovering from an ailment, reports Daily Trust.
A family member of one of the victims, Taofeeq Olayemi, told our reporter that no contact has been made with the families since the incident.
“It is a very trying period for the family because we do not know the situation they are in and we do not know where they are. We are just praying to Allah to protect them and soften the hearts of their abductors,” he said
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kaduna, ASP Mansir Hassan, said operatives were trying their best to secure the release of the victims unharmed.
According to him, “We have deployed our operatives into the bush where the kidnappers are suspected to be in the area.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna has condemned the abduction of the journalists and their family members.
The NUJ in a statement issued and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the council, Comrade Asmau Yawo Halilu, and Comrade Gambo Santos Sanga, respectively appealed to security agencies in the state to swing into action to rescue the journalists and their families from the kidnappers.
Also, the leadership of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has described as unacceptable the kidnapping of the journalists and some of their family members.
The President General of the forum Alhaji Yerima Shettima in a statement issued today called on relevant government authorities and security agencies to intensify efforts to see to their safe release and put an end to these “kinds of barbaric incidents”.
Shettima also called on spirited individuals to intensify prayers for their safe release.
