Kidnapping

By Uzair Adam Imam

People in Tumburkai, a community in Katsina state, have decried the rising level of insecurity ravaging the community in recent times.

Several attacks by bandits on the community have displaced many people and widowed an unidentified number of women.

The community members expressed worries on Thursday when a Kaduna-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Victims of Banditry Support Initiative, visited the area.

The Daily Reality gathered that, during the visit, the NGO distributed bags of rice, foodstuff and cash to women in the community and the neighbouring villages.

Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of Victims of Banditry Support Initiative, Malam. Abdullahi Usman said there is a need for society to support the needy, especially widows.

He was quoted as saying, “Although we don’t have much, we are not happy seeing those affected by bandit activities cannot feed. So out of the little God has given us, we intend to ensure the needy are also fed.”

He added that the NGO would continue to supply food items and cash to the widows.

“The NGO intends to continue giving food items and cash to the widows and others for the foreseeable future, and we are calling on the state and federal governments and wealthy individuals to pool their resources together in helping the widows,” he added.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Masterminders of the attack and abduction of not fewer than 31 people from the Tom Ikimi Train Station in Igbueben in Edo State have reached out to some families of the abductees and made demands.

The Executive Director of Esan Youth for Good Governance on Social Justice, Benson Odia, on Monday, disclosed that the kidnappers demanded the sum of 20 million naira from each of the victims.

Odia described the demand as absurd and called on the government to intensify efforts in securing the release of the abductees.

He also disclosed that the Minister of Transportation and the Nigeria Railway Corporation boss visited Igueben to personally assess the situation.

He said, “I can tell you that the kidnappers have demanded N20 million, totalling N620 million. This is absurd and I don’t know where poor people will be able to raise that amount of money.”

By Safiyanu Ladan

The nefarious activities of bandits in Zaria and its environs are walloping. It was in 2019 that, for the first time, I heard about the kidnapping incident in Zaria, which saw the abduction of Malama Rabi Shamaki, a lecturer at the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria. Since then, several such incidents have been reported in various places in the ancient city. However, on several occasions, the security operatives had been said to have thwarted their evil plans of unleashing mayhem on the people. 

The operatives of Kaduna State Police Command, while on surveillance patrol on 23rd December 2022, intercepted motorcycle riders with suspicious concealed bags in Basawa, Zaria LGA of Kaduna state.

In a bizarre circumstance, upon being stopped for search, one of the riders jumped down and escaped, heightening the operatives’ suspicious minds.

The timely intervention of the police has led to the successful recovery of Four(4) AK-47s, three hundred and forty-four (344) live ammunition, and ten (10) telephone handsets and charms from the other suspect.

The courageous efforts of police and other security agencies in taming the security challenges in Zaria and its environs have undoubtedly yielded the desired result. However, much still needs to be done to arrest the deteriorated and fragile condition.

Collaborating with security agencies to weed out the criminals in the communities is paramount. Hence, the need for people to be security conscious and proactive in reporting criminal elements to the appropriate authority.

In the meantime, I would like to appeal to the residents of Zaria to report any suspicious characters to the police or other security personnel. Helping security personnel in intelligence gathering will go a long way to nip in the bud the intended evil activities of bandits and other outlaws roaming in the nooks and crannies of the community.

Safiyanu Ladan wrote from Zaria via uncledoctor24@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

A 12-year-old boy has been detained by officers of the Bauchi State Police Command for allegedly abducting a three-year-old daughter.

The girl’s father informed the police that his daughter had been abducted after receiving an anonymous phone call notifying him of it.

The caller demanded N150,000 from the father of the girl as a ransom before releasing his daughter.

These were revealed in a media statement issued to journalists in the state on Saturday by Ahmed Wakil, the public relations officer for the Bauchi State Police Command.

After questioning the suspect, SP Wakili stated that the kidnapper teenager confessed that he learned about kidnapping when his friend was kidnapped some years ago, and money had to be paid as a ransom before he was released.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect stated that he is from Kano state and came to Bauchi state in search of petty business with his siblings. From the little he earned while hawking fried yam in Magama Gumau, he raised money and bought a mobile phone, the Tecno Camon model.

“The investigation also revealed that the suspect got to know about kidnapping when some time ago his friend was kidnapped in Kano state until a ransom was paid before he was released from his captors, that is how he learned about kidnapping and money must be paid to set a victim free.

“He also said he would have used the ransom money to buy his desired clothes and phones, but cut short upon his arrest by the Police operatives,” the police said.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Parents of the 39 children who were kidnapped on Sunday by bandits while working on a farm in the Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State have begged the government to help rescue them.

The Mairuwa community, according to a source, suffered the most heinous damage during the bandits’ raid.

He noted that when they (the bandits) approached the farm, the terrorists began shooting intermittently.

The source was quoted to have said, “They demanded N3m from the owner for him to be able to harvest his produce, he gave them N1million as part payment and decided to begin the work before completing the money, but unfortunately the bandits did not accept that. In our village, Mairuwa, alone we have 33 among the victims including young ladies who are due for marriage.”

SP Gambo Isah, the Katsina police spokesman, assured that efforts were ongoing as to how the abductees would be rescued.

Meanwhile, the Daily Reality has obtained reports that showed six of abductees had regained freedom on Tuesday.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A woman who regained freedom from bandits’ captivity said her abductors gave her N2,000 as transportation fare after collecting N6 million ransom from her husband.

The woman, Hajiya Fatima Ibrahim, said this when she appeared before a High Court in Zaria as prosecution witness (PW).

She was testifying as PW two at the resumed hearing of the case at Kaduna State High Court 1, Dogarawa Zaria.

Hajiya Fatima recounted, “On Jan. 2, 2021, in the night, I heard some strange noises in the house. As I woke up and switched on the lights, I saw the four defendants with a gun and machetes.

”They wanted to know where my husband was. I told them he was away. They kidnapped me and took me to Galadimawa Forest in Giwa Local Government Kaduna state after they had taken away money, children’s clothes and other valuables from the house.

”They called my husband and negotiated a ransom of N6 million to be paid in two instalments. The money was paid in my presence and the fourth Defendant (Usman) gave me N2,000 out of the money as transportation fare,” she told the court,” she stated.

She added that the defendants directed her on where to board a vehicle that will take her home and assured her that nothing will happen to her.

The police charged the arrested Dalhatu Shehu, Lawal Aliyu-Bullet, Nuhu Ismaila and Nura Usman with criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and kidnapping.

The police said the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 59 (1), 246 (a-b) of the Penal Code and section 6 (b) of the Fire Arms Special Provision Act.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Reports from Zamfara State indicate that the police in the state have arrested eight bandits’ informants, gun runners, cattle rustlers and suppliers of hard drugs and foodstuff.

The police operatives also repelled the terrorists’ attacks in Bukkuyum, Shinkafi and Tsafe Local Government Areas of the state. 

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Mohammed Shehu, disclosed this to journalists in Zamfara. 

Zamfara State is one of the epicentres of banditry and kidnapping in northern Nigeria that suffers from several attacks, leading to the deaths and displacements of a number of its residents. 

 He said the operatives also recovered four sophisticated guns, one cutlass and a bunch of charms after exchanging gunfire with the terrorists, who were forced to retreat into the bush.

Following the distress calls by some community members, this resulted in repelling the terrorists’ planned attacks on some communities. 

The suspects are under the state’s police custody, and a thorough investigation is currently taking place. 

Dear sir, dear all,

That security of this country is in a coma is no news. That Ogbomoso, the land of the valiant in Oyo State, is under the siege of abductors is also an incontestable fact.

 In the dead of night on Monday, September 19, 2022, along the express, in Gbede, Surulere local government area, a man identified as Alhaji Yisa Agric was reportedly abducted from his house brazenly. This is shocking. 

Several heinous abductions of innocent inhabitants of Ogbomoso were recorded weeks earlier. One of the attacks, which led to the death of a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo state and some people, exacerbated the ire of the people the most. 

Consequently, a rally which was graced with an avalanche of people was launched to engage in the public debate on the issue. After the demonstration, no reported kidnapping case was heard, at least in August. This was jubilated, not knowing their ram moved backwards in anger to garner more power.

The attention of the Oyo State government under the leadership of a good governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde is herein called to this menace of insecurity in Ogbomoso, which is bedevilling his good administration, for hasty panacea be preferred before it goes haywire. 

Also, the philanthropists are beseeched to financially sponsor the unconventional security personnel to launch a manhunt to arrest the unscrupulous perpetrators of the dastardly acts. The earlier, the better.

Olayode Inaolaji wrote from Ogbomoso, Oyo State, via inaolajiolayode@yahoo.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A kidnapped mother and her four children, alongside three other people, were rescued from bandits along Birnin Gwari and Chikun LGAs.

Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner for the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

He said the victims were rescued during a patrol in the areas by the Troops Operation Forest Sanity.

It was reported that the troops came under fire from the bandits while on patrol along the Birnin Gwari-Gayam-Kuriga-Manini axis.

However, after the troops returned the fire, the bandits fled into the forests, leaving behind the captives in their custody.

Aruwan said, “The seven victims have been reunited with their families.”

He identified the victims as Gloria Shedrack and her four children named Jimre Shedrack, Jonathan Shedrack, Angelina Shedrack and Abigail Shedrack. While the adults freed were Joseph Ishaku and John Bulus.

The Government of Kaduna State commended the troops for their brave efforts in rescuing and reuniting the victims with their families.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Unknown shooters have stormed Abuja Community, Tekpeshe-Gurdi, and abducted five persons on their way back from neighbouring community.

The Daily Reality recalls how bandits roamed the community two weeks ago where they killed one person and kidnapped others.

It was gathered that more than five million naira was paid before the victims were released last Friday.

The bandits were said to have flooded the community wielding sophisticated weapons. They also snatched six motorcycles in the process.

Wozhe Ishaya, the incumbent councillor representing Gurdi ward, confirmed the traumatic development to journalists.

He said, bandits blocked the road at Tekpeshe-Gurdi, where the residents were abducted.

“Actually, the victims went to Tekpeshe community to sympathise with some abducted victims that were set free by bandits, while on their way going back Gurdi, they ran into the bandits,

“In fact, even as I am talking to you right now, some villagers of Dadin Kowa have started leaving their village because of that incident,” he added.