Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted two journalists and their families in the Danhonu community, Millennium City, located in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The victims, Abdulgafar Alabelewe of The Nation Newspaper and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint Newspaper, were taken from their homes on Saturday night, along with their wives and children.
Alabelewe is the current chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council.
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AIT has reliably gathered that the gunmen attacked the Danhonu community around 10:30 pm, specifically targeting the homes of the two journalists who live near each other. The attackers fired shots sporadically before forcing their way into the compounds and abducting the victims.
It was reported that the bandits later released the wife of the Blueprint reporter due to her illness.
The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the abduction, stating that security operatives are actively pursuing the kidnappers to arrest them and safely rescue the victims.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna State has condemned the abduction, describing it as barbaric. In a statement jointly signed by Asmara Halilu, the Chairman of the Union, and Secretary Gambo Santos, the NUJ appealed to security agencies to take immediate action to rescue the journalists and their families.
The statement expressed dismay over the abduction of the innocent journalists and their families, urging the government to intensify efforts to ensure the security of citizens. It emphasized that the resurgence of kidnapping in Kaduna and its environs must be addressed to prevent a repeat of past incidents.
The NUJ also urged all journalists in the state to remain vigilant in their daily activities and prayed for the safe return of their abducted colleagues and their families.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
