Gunmen kill two, abduct policeman, others in Kaduna communities

Two persons were on Friday killed as suspected gunmen invaded two communities of Mararaban Rido and Juji communities in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The gunmen also kidnapped four persons including a sick police officer in another community, Maraban Rido.

Also, a 14-year-old girl, an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and a security guard were also reportedly abducted during the operation which took place in the early hours of Friday.

A source said the gunmen first attacked the residence of the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna North Local Government Area, Rev. Elisha Abu before going to his neighbour’s houses.

Elisha Abu confirmed the attack, saying that the gunmen first attacked his residence at about 11.57pm (Thursday) where they attempted breaking into his house but could not.

“The gunmen first came into my residence at about 11:57pm and they called, spoke in Fulani and Hausa languages that l should open the door for them. Immediately, we (l and my family) engaged in prayers for divine intervention from God Almighty.”

“As we were praying and refused to open the entrance to the house, they tried forcing themselves by using hammer to break the entrance to the house but could not succeed.

While they were making efforts to have their way into the house, we kept praying to God for help.

“l called on the police to inform them of what we were going through and for their immediate assistance but before the police could  arrived my house, the gunmen had left without gaining entrance into the house.”

He said the gunmen left his residence to other neighbouring houses where they kidnapped “a sick police officer that has just came from another State, a Civil Defence officer, a 14-year-old girl and a security man and went away with them.”

At Juji near Maraban Rido was also not spared. The gunmen shot sporadically for hours and killed  two persons.

The dead were from a neighbouring community who came to assist in fighting the gunmen.

The attack on the community started  some minutes after 11.00pm in a failed attempt to kidnap residents and lasted for hours, said a source.

“The gunmen came into the community around 11.00pm and operated for several hours but were repelled by the youths.

Two persons from another neighbouring community (Baban Saura) were killed. “The boy came to assist our community to wade off the attackers.  The gunmen, however, could not go with anybody,” he said.