16 persons with six of them from the same family have been reportedly kidnapped along Brinin Gwari – Kaduna highway.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, around 5:30pm, according to an eyewitness.
It was gathered that the armed bandits kidnapped the victims around Tashar Keji/Tsauntsaye near Kuriga and Palwaya, along the deadly Brinin Gwari – Kaduna highway.
Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari, Chairman, Birnin-Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance in a press statement said, “We can authoritatively confirmed the two incidents and the Kidnapping of sixteen people mostly artisan miners and the demand of one million naira each per head as ransom.”
The statement gave the names of those kidnapped as Ashiru, Lawal, Kamaye, Umar, Abdulhameedu, (all from the same family) as well as Umar, Buba, Sarki and five others,
while three other people (commuters) complete the number.
while three other people (commuters) complete the number.
It said, “It is our view that the armed bandits have turn Birnin-Gwari to an enclave of terrorism. Our sources of livelihood have been eroded, our social life diminished, our commercial/economic activities grounded.
“The people of Birnin-Gwari are crudely pushed to the extreme wall with the escalating of Kidnapping on a daily basis unchallenged,” the statement lamented.
The forum urged the federal government to declare a total war against armed bandits in Birnin-Gwari and brand armed bandits as terrorists.
The statement explained that the President should as a matter of urgency compel Kaduna State governor to relocate to Birnin-Gwari until peace is restored.
The statement reads, “This organization strongly advocate for military operations in Birnin-Gwari and neighbouring border areas of Niger and Katsina states. Enough is enough.”
Calls put to the Police Public Relations Officer to ascertain the incident were not responded to.
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