Kaduna— Unknown gunmen have kidnapped two journalists and their families late Saturday night in Kaduna State. The victims have been identified as Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Kaduna State NUJ Council, along with his three family members, and Abdulraheem Aodo, a correspondent for Blueprint Newspaper, and his wife.
Uptown Press gathered that, the kidnapping occurred at around 10:30 PM in the Danhono 2 area of Millennium City, Kaduna. According to witnesses, the gunmen stormed the residences of the journalists and forcibly took them away, leaving their families and colleagues in a state of shock and distress.
The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the incident. Public Relations Officer Mansir Hassan stated that police operatives have been deployed to the bush where the kidnappers are suspected to be hiding. “We are working tirelessly to secure the release of the victims,” Hassan assured.
In response to the abduction, the Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has issued a strong condemnation. A joint statement by the Council’s Chairman Asma’u Halilu and Secretary Gambo Sanga, released on Sunday, described the attack as “brazen and barbaric.”
“NUJ has received with shock, the brazen and barbaric attack by suspected kidnappers,” the statement read. “The attack resulted in the abduction of the Kaduna State Correspondents of The Nation Newspaper and the Blueprint Newspaper, alongside their families last night at their residences in the Danhono area, a Kaduna suburb, in Chikun LGA.”
The NUJ called on security agencies in the State to take immediate action to rescue the kidnapped journalists and their families. They also expressed concern over the rising incidents of kidnapping in Kaduna and called for intensified efforts by the government to ensure the security of lives and property.
“We implore the government at all levels to intensify efforts towards guaranteeing the security of lives and property of the citizens at all times. The ugly phenomenon of kidnapping in Kaduna and environs is now resurfacing and must be checked to avert the experiences of the recent past,” the statement added.
The Council also urged all practicing journalists in the state to remain vigilant in their daily activities while praying for the safe return of their abducted colleagues and their families.
As the situation develops, the community remains on edge, hoping for a swift resolution and the safe return of the kidnapped individuals.
