Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped the village head of Ungwan Babangida and 14 other residents in Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State. The attack took place on Thursday night, when the assailants stormed the village armed with sophisticated weapons and began shooting sporadically to create fear and confusion.
Aminu Khalid, the youth leader of Dokan Karji, confirmed the incident on Friday. He stated that the bandits targeted the village around midnight, abducting 14 individuals, including three women and nine men. Among the victims was the village head, Babangida Sojiji. Khalid also mentioned that two of the kidnapped were laborers who had come to the area from Jigawa State and Ikara Local Government Area for farming activities.
This abduction follows closely on the heels of another kidnapping on Wednesday in the nearby Libere community, where four farmers were taken by bandits. Khalid called for urgent military action to tackle the escalating banditry in the region, emphasizing the widespread violence and killings of breadwinners in Kauru.
“The Federal Government and security operatives must intensify efforts to cripple the activities of these criminals,” Khalid urged, pointing out that the situation has made life increasingly difficult for villagers. Despite the growing insecurity, he praised local vigilante groups for their ongoing efforts to foil many kidnapping attempts, contributing to some relief in the affected areas.
The ongoing attacks in Kaduna highlight the growing insecurity in northern Nigeria, as communities continue to face the threat of banditry, with little sign of a sustainable solution.
