By Ukasha Rabiu Magama
At least not fewer than four people were kidnapped yesterday by unknown gunmen in Zalau, Toro, Bauchi state.
Our source, who pleaded anonymity, narrated that the invaders arrived in Zalau town by 8:30 pm on Sunday, barricaded the town entry and started shooting air sporadically, heading to the village market square.
Dispersing the marketers, they abducted Aliyu Dahiru Sulaiman, Abdul Hogal, Dokas, and their brother. Also, Shamsudden Garba was shot, and he is now receiving medical treatment at the Abubakar Tabawa Balewa Teaching Hospital in Bauchi. Similarly, the abductors carted away people’s belongings, including phones, provisions, meets and fried yams.
The illegal operation was suspended by 9:30 pm, and shootings were nonstop due to zero security intervention.
It could be recalled that the gunmen, on Saturday, August 19, 2023, abducted two people and shot a security man in Gumau; the captives regained freedom yesterday, August 20, 2023.
Similarly, the gunmen shot another person in Fishere on Friday, August 18, 2023; the man who refused to follow the kidnappers to the jungle as they commanded him was shot in the head and died immediately. Also, a similar event occurred in Bargan Fulani and Salarma communities.
Since the beginning of this month, August, Toro and Lame districts have been facing a series of attacks from unknown gunmen leading to the loss of lives and properties of citizens.
Recently, in an interview with BBC Hausa, the member representing Toro federal constituency, Hon. Ismail Haruna Dabo, raised the alarm over the incessant event in the area and asked the federal and state governments to deploy security operatives to the site; hence the need is to protect lives and property of the citizens.
An effort was made to reach Toro police command when filing this report, but it was abortive due to undisclosed issues.