- Gunmen abduct two wives, son of Plateau monarch
BY BRIGHT JACOB
Two suspected kidnappers have been killed by the police during a fierce gun battle in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The spokesman of the Bauchi State Police Command, Ahmed Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, disclosed this in a media statement made available to journalists in the state on Sunday.
He said the kidnappers stormed the house of one Abdulhamid Muhammad at Rafin Cora in Ningi LGA and tried to abduct his 28-year-old son.
According to him, the kidnappers shot the victim multiple times in his abdomen after he resisted their attempt to abduct him.
Following reports made available to the police, they engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle causing them to scamper for safety with gunshot wounds.
Narrating the incident, Wakil said, “On March 3, 2023, credible intelligence revealed to the command that, on the same date at about 1am, some unknown gunmen invaded the residence of Alhaji Abdulhamid Muhammad at Rafin Cora village via Ningi LGA in an attempt to kidnap his son, one Usman Abdulhamid, age 28 years.
“However, in the process, the victim resisted being taken away by the kidnappers. The victim was shot multiple times in his lower abdomen while making an effort to escape.”
He further revealed that upon receipt of the information, the police alongside a local vigilance group, led by the DPO of Ningi, swiftly mobilised to the scene to counter the kidnappers from accomplishing their mission in the village.
“The kidnappers welcomed police operatives with sporadic gunshots. While responding, the Operatives engaged them in a gun duel which forced them to scamper in disarray with possible gunshot wounds.
“Consequently, two of the kidnappers met their waterloo at the spot, while one AK47 was retrieved during the encounter,” he said.
The police spokesman said that the victim was rescued and rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Birnin Kudu in Jigawa State for treatment.
He said concerted efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects and make them face the full wrath of the law.
Meanwhile, suspected gunmen have abducted the two wives and a son of the Chief of Sarkin Kudu in the Ibi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Dan-Salama Adamu.
This is coming barely three weeks after the two wives and five children of the Chief of Mutum-Biyu were abducted and murdered by bandits.
Family sources said the armed men invaded Adamu’s house on Friday when he was not around.
According to the sources, the gunmen shot sporadically before carrying the victims away to an unknown destination.
“The gunmen have yet to establish contact with anybody. We pray for the safety of the victims. For now, they have not contacted us, so we can’t talk about how much they are demanding for ransom.
“None of the victims’ phone numbers are going through, but we are trusting God for their safety,” a family member told our correspondent on the phone.
The Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, adding that some suspects had been arrested.
Abdullahi also said the arrested suspects were providing useful information to the police and efforts were on to rescue the victims and arrest the remaining suspects.
