Some bandits in separate operations reportedly abducted at least 31 persons at Kwanan-Dutse and Labi villages in the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State between Tuesday and Wednesday.
The bandits, wielding assault rifles and in military fatigue, were said to have kidnapped the 31 persons between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a source.
On Tuesday, the local Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Birnin-Gwari, Mallam Danladi Duniya aka Iron, confirmed that 10 persons, mostly commuters travelling from the South to Kano were abducted.
Also, on Wednesday, 21 passengers were abducted in Labi village along the same road, the NURTW chief added.
Duniya said, “The incident involved commuters in a Sharon and three Golf 3 brand of cars. They were waylaid by the bandits while the people inside the two vehicles were whisked into the bush.
“Those kidnapped include, both females and males and the drivers of the vehicles. They were going to Kano for various business activities.”
He added that the abductors stripped their victims, mostly women naked before forcing them into the bush.
Duniya said the union had begun to mobilise vigilance groups to go into the forest in search of those kidnapped.
He, therefore, called for urgent intervention from the authorities concerned to rescue the victims.
“Victims are on their way to various destinations when the kidnappers struck and carried them into the bush.
“Today (Wednesday), around 8am another 21 persons were abducted near Labi village along the same Kaduna – Birnin-Gwari Road.
“The victims are said to include males and females going to Kano for various business activities. They (victims) are traveling in three golf cars, a trailer and a tanker when they were abducted.
“The union is now mobilising members and the vigilance group to go and take back all the vehicles involved in the incident,” he said.
When contacted, the Kaduna Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mukhtar Aliyu, did not confirm the incident, but promised to get back to our correspondent with details of what transpired.
However, Aliyu had yet to fulfil his promise as of the time of filing this report (4:10pm).
Source: Punch
