Two Of Four Kaduna Residents Kidnapped By Bandits Regain Freedom

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It has been revealed that the Kaduna State Police Command has secured the release of two out of four abducted persons.

According to the command's spokesman, Muhammad Jalige, the four people were kidnapped last night in the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna State.

He, however, said two of the four were rescued because the bandits were unable to carry them along in bushes due to pressure from police officers, who were on their trail.

Jalige also reacted to the protest staged by residents against the incessant abductions and bandit attacks.

In the early hours of Saturday, the residents blocked the Gonin Gora end of the Abuja-Kaduna Highway in the Chikun Local Government Area of the State in protest.

The protesters barricaded the busy road with stones and wood, insisting that nobody would pass until the state Governor Nasir El-Rufai addresses them.

They also prevented the convoy of a top military officer from passing through the road.

Jalige revealed that there are allegations that bandits sent threatening messages to the area coupled with the earlier agitation to improve the security situation in the place.

He said this culminated in the peaceful protest by the youth in the area. Jalige, however, said no killing was recorded as being speculated in some quarters.

He also said efforts were being made to improve the security situation in the area as the command deployed Armoured Carrier Patrol to the place recently in response to their demands.

Gonin Gora, like some other communities in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have been experiencing constant attacks and kidnappings by bandits.

Kaduna State government on Friday said bandits killed a total number of 323 people in Kaduna State between January and March 2021.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who presented the figures during the state security report meeting, explained that of the 323 people killed by bandits during the period under review, 292 were males and 20 were females.

He added that 949 people were kidnapped by bandits during the period, while Kaduna Central senatorial district accounted for 236 deaths within Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Igabi, and Kajuru Local Government Areas.