Follow Us on Google
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Passengers travelling through Gonigora community in Kaduna State are most likely going to suspend their breath as they head to Abuja or back to Kaduna. Once they drive pass the area unhurt, they exhale a sigh of relief for surviving a clearly dangerous pathway that is notorious for kidnapping, abduction and petty crimes.
Gonigora in Chikun Local Government is located in the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis. A gateway for travellers passing through the state, some of them coming from the East and West to the far North, the community is hardly in the news for the best of reasons.
As if that is not bad enough, the community has a reputation of reoccurring highway accidents and for protest by its young men and women. On February 29, 2024, a demonstration erupted in the community over the abduction and killing of residents after the bandits operated for hours unchecked, killing two members of the vigilance group and abducting an unspecified number of residents.
Between November last year and February this year, the community was attacked thrice by bandits. Residents told Daily Sun that it was the reoccurrence of these attacks that prompted youths to take over the highway to protest their plights in the hands of the marauders.
The demonstrators, made up of youths as usual, blocked the Abuja – Kaduna highway and shut down the traffic, a situation, which triggered fears over the safety of the travellers.
The leaders of the protesters urged state government to do something more to protect them and put an end to incessant attacks on their community by bandits, lamenting that they had been suffering untold hardships arising from the unhindered operations of these bandits on their community.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mansir Hassan, confirmed the incident but declined comment on the number of people kidnapped.
A resident recalled: “The hoodlums operated uninterrupted for over four hours without any security operative in sight. This forced the residents to come out this morning (Thursday) to protest the incident.
“We were woken up by gunshots as the bandits entered the community shooting indiscriminately. Several residents were taken away to unknown destinations by the heavily armed attackers that invaded the area.”
Some residents fled in fear that the bandits might return and cause more havoc. Leader of the vigilance group in the area, John Dogo, narrated: “As we pursued them into the forest, heavy gunshots from submachine guns greeted us inside the forest. But we were able to rescue four persons, including a baby. It was tough.
“While most of us were armed with locally made guns, the bandits had automatic rifles and machine guns. We ran into an ambush in the forest, one of us was killed and the other sustained injuries.”
Another security guard volunteer, Baba Genom, said: “The terrorists came in at about 10 pm. They went from house to house, probably based on a prearranged list of houses to raid. They also had hammers with them, which they used in unlocking doors.
“The whole attack lasted for about four hours. The terrorists were surprised by the resistance they encountered and therefore fled with those they had abducted.”
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said in a statement: “The Kaduna State Security Council has warned against blockage of public roads and harassment of innocent citizens by persons conducting protests.
“This follows the blockage of the Gonin-Gora axis of the Kaduna-Abuja Road by some protesters on Thursday morning, in response to reports of a bandit attack in Unguwan Auta of Gonin Gora general area, Chikun LGA, thus denying commuters access through the route.
“Members of the security council while interacting with community leaders, expressed dissatisfaction with the menace of blocking roads, a situation which infringes on the rights of citizens and travellers using these roads and other public utilities.
“As of the time of this security update, citizens and motorists are plying the Gonin Gora axis of Kaduna-Abuja Road without obstruction.”
