Three days after abduction: Kaduna journalists, families still in captivity, no contact established
…As Danhono community residents desert homes
…Ensure you rescue our colleagues unhurt — NUJ tasks Govt, security agencies
…Journalists shouldn’t be targets of kidnapping — AYCF reacts
…Police still combing forests to rescue victims — PPRO
By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
Residents of Danhono 2, Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna state have fled their homes, following the incessant cases of kidnapping that led to the abduction of two journalists and their families.
Bureau Chief of Nation Newspaper, and Chairman of the Correspondent Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Kaduna state Council, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, his wife and two children including Abdulraheem Aodu of the Blue Print Newspapers were abducted on Saturday night from their homes, with no contact established yet with their abductors.
NewsDirect authoritatively gathered that the community was previously under an intense attack by kidnappers before relief came a few months ago that led to many who fled their homes returning from where they went to seek refuge, before the new upsurge.
Confirming the abduction of the journalists and their families, Taofeeq Olayemi, said that the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically before carrying out their operations.
Olayemi, who is a family member of Mr Aodu and lives close to the victims’ houses, said, “They came around 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically. They first forced Aodu’s door open and picked him and his wife and left their sick daughter behind.
“Then, they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence, shattered their doors, windows, removed their burglary and went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air.
“Initially, they picked Alhaji Abdulgafar, his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them, before asking the girl to return back with one of the children, leaving with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) has described the kidnap of the two journalists in such a barbaric manner as sad, unfortunate, totally condemnable and unacceptable.
The NUJ National President, Chris Isiguzo, in a press statement issued through the National Secretary of the Union, Comrade Achike Chude, on Monday lamented that “this latest act of perfidy which led to the abductions of two Journalists and members of their families in Kaduna state over the weekend have once more highlighted the general state of insecurity in the land and the continuing threat to the safety of journalists in the country.”
“The kidnapped journalists include Abdulgafar Alabelewe, of the Nation Newspaper who also serves as chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council, and AbdulRaheem Aodu, a Journalist with Blueprint newspaper.
“While acknowledging the enormous challenges faced by the country’s security apparatuses in their various theatres of security-related engagements, we nevertheless call on the authorities, especially the security agencies to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of the kidnappers and to ensure the safe recovery of the victims.
“The continuing epidemic of violence and death in our country must be brought to an end. The consequences have been devastating and have taken a huge toll on human lives and social infrastructure in many parts of the country.
“It appears that the best intent and approach by the federal government to reign in this hydra-headed monster is simply not working. A new approach is needed and must involve all the federating units in our country as well as our local governments. Ensuring the safety and well-being of the nation-state is the basis for progress and development.
“We commiserate with the families of the victims and pray for the safe return of their loved ones. We equally stand in solidarity with the leadership and members of the NUJ, Kaduna State Council at this trying time.”
In the same vein, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, (AYCF) has demanded the immediate release of the journalists and their families, advocating that Journalists should not be the target of kidnapping because they are a very key sector of the society providing needed information for growth and development of the society.
The National President of AYCF Alhaji Yerima Shettima while reacting to the news on Monday said that the incident is worrisome, very disheartening, and called on relevant government authorities and security agencies to swing into serious action and ensure their safe release. He also called on spirited individuals to intensify prayers for their safe release.
“Journalists should not be the target of kidnap because they are a very key sector of the society providing needed information for growth and development of the society.
“I wish to appeal to government and security agencies to intensify efforts to see to their safe release and ensure an end to this kind of barbaric incident.
“I also call for prayers for their safe release and for them to be reunited with their families, and also for quick recovery for the wife of Abdulraheem who was initially kidnapped and dumped in the bush due to her health condition,” Shettima said.
In his reactions, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, (NPF) Kaduna state Command, ASP Mansur Hassan has said that their operatives are combing the bush to rescue the victims.
ASP Mansur while speaking with our Kaduna Correspondent assured journalists that they had deployed their personnels to the bush where the kidnappers were suspected to be hiding with the hostages, an effort he stressed would secure their release.
