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From John Adams, Minna
Bandits in the early hours of Monday stormed Gauraka town in Tafa local government area of Niger state and kidnapped not less than 11 residents.
The armed bandits, in their usual manner, shot sporadically on arrival in the community as they went from house to house picking their victims and taking them to unknown destination.
A source close to Gauraka told our correspondent that the incident happened at about 7.30am
Following the development hundreds of Youths and other villagers have blocked the ever busy Abuja- Suleja – Kaduna highway thereby preventing free flow of traffic on both sides of the road.
This is coming barely four days after, the abduction of about 20 children last week Thursday, around the area on their way home from an Islamiya (Islamic) school.
It was further gathered that among the victims of yesterday night kidnap was a pregnant woman. It was gathered the bandits purportedly stormed her home at about 6pm carried her away and leaving her children all alone behind.
A resident of Madalla, Jummai Mohammed told our Reporter in a telephone interview that three weeks, some people drove through the Kaduna-Abuja on motorcycles and donkeys which had created panic in the minds of the people.
“We started hearing of bandits in Suleja area three months ago. We noticed some strange in our area three weeks ago, when some people riding on motorcycles and donkeys past through the major high way. They were three on each motorcycle and donkeys numbering over 200. And since, the people have been scared. On Thursday last week, there was Kidnap of children and yesterday the bandits entered the homes of people and abducted them.”
Confirming the incident, the Niger State Police Command said unknown gunmen attacked the residents of Angwan-wazobia in Gauraka area of Tafa LGA where about six persons were abducted.
In a press statement signed by the state Public Relations Officer, PRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun stated that a team of Policemen were mobilized to the scene and efforts to rescue the victims are being intensified.
It state,” however, at about 0635hrs of same date, some miscreants blocked both sides of Abuja – Kaduna expressway, protesting the recent cases of kidnapping in the community. The miscreants later extended the protest to Gauraka Police outpost, vandalized and set it ablaze.”
The state Police explained that efforts to disperse the protesters are ongoing as reinforcement has been dispatched from Minna to Area Commander Suleja as well as joint task force from Minna – Suleja highway to restore normalcy on Abuja – Kaduna express way.
It then called on members of the public, parents/guardian and community leaders to caution their wards against any act of public disturbance as the Command shall continue the onslaught against criminal elements in the society.
