Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have abducted at least seven residents of Millennium City in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, triggering a mass protest over the increasing cases of kidnapping in the area.
The incident occurred just two days after bandits reportedly kidnapped a Catholic priest alongside 10 others and killed three people in the Kajuru community.
Angered by the latest attack, residents of the Danhonu II community in New Millennium City gathered on Monday at the Millennium City Divisional Police Headquarters to demand swift security intervention.
The protesters blocked major roads leading to the station, chanting slogans and waving fresh tree branches as they lamented what they described as relentless attacks on their neighbourhood.
Residents said the gunmen invaded the community around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday and operated until the early hours of Monday, abducting seven persons from two households.
Those kidnapped were identified as Malam Yahaya Yusuf, his wife, Latifat Yusuf, and their two sons, Abdulgafar and Abdulqudus. Also taken were Mrs Abdulrazak Jimoh and two of her children.
According to locals, the latest incident has pushed the number of abductions in the small community to 11 in the past few months.
They alleged that most of the victims were non-indigenes, raising suspicions about possible informants within the area.
The protesters therefore urged security agencies to conduct a thorough probe and “fish out collaborators aiding the criminals.”
Speaking for the demonstrators, Chairman of the Danhonu II Landlords Association, Akoh Salifu, said the residents could no longer endure the situation.
“We are here because we can no longer live in peace. The pressure from repeated kidnapping incidents has become unbearable for us,” he said.
Salifu added that some youths attempted to pursue the kidnappers into the bush after the Sunday night attack but were unable to overtake them.
“As law-abiding citizens, we decided to come to the police to formally register our grievances and cry out for urgent intervention to save our community,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, said officers received a distress call late Sunday night and quickly mobilised to the area with military support.
However, he explained that the poor road network and difficult terrain slowed down the response, enabling the bandits to escape with the victims despite an exchange of gunfire.
