Bandits Abduct Emir, 10 Family Members in Kaduna...
Middle Belt Forum calls for state of emergency
The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of the Emir of Kajuru, the headquarters of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, and 10 members of his family by bandits.
However, an eyewitness said the bandits also abducted four other persons from the area.
Adamu, an octogenarian, is a second-class emir in the Kajuru Emirate, created about two years ago by the state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.
Also abducted were his daughter and grandchildren.
A former councillor who spoke off the record said the bandits came about 12:30 am yesterday and broke the gate to the palace.
The source, in a telephone interview with THISDAY said: “The bandits came around 12:30 am and broke the gate to the palace. After breaking the gate to the palace, they went and broke the door to the emir’s room.
“Soldiers came at about 3:30 am after the bandits had fled with their victims.”
Kajuru is about 40 minutes drive from the Kaduna metropolis.
Confirming the incident, the police, in a statement yesterday by the spokesman of the command, Mr. Mohammad Jalige, said the emir was abducted alongside 10 members of his family.
The statement said: “The Kaduna Police Command through the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Kajuru, Kaduna is in receipt of an unfortunate report on the kidnap of the Chief of Kajuru, His Royal
Highness, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, in the early hours of today 11th July 2021.
“The incident occurred about 0234hrs when armedwielding bandits in large numbers invaded Kajuru town shot sporadically and gained access into the chief's residence where they abducted him and 10 members of his immediate family to an unknown destination.”
Jalige said a joint patrol of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), conventional police and the Nigerian Army attached to Kajuru LGA were searching the forest for a possible rescue of the victims.
He added that the InspectorGeneral of Police’s (IG’s) tactical units have been contacted for technical support.
Jalige said: “The command is saddened with this incident and it is not relenting in ensuring a lasting solution to the current upsurge of criminality in the state.
“Members of the public are urged to remain calm and should always support the police and other security agencies with credible information that will enable them to curtail any possible attack on innocent citizens before it happened.”
Before yesterday’s abduction of the emir, 121 pupils of the Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna were some of the latest victims of kidnapping in the state.
The victims, mostly in Senior Secondary Schools 2 and 3, were kidnapped after bandits, disguising as military personnel invaded the school about 1 am on July 5.
A day after the kidnapping, the bandits reportedly reached out to the school management, demanding foodstuffs, including 30 bags of rice, 20 bags of beans, and 10 kegs of palm oil, to feed their captives.
The pupils’ parents and school management were said to have raised money to buy the foodstuffs following the bandits’ threats to starve the students if the foodstuffs were not supplied.
Middle Belt Forum Calls for State of Emergency
Meanwhile, following the spate of killings, and kidnap for ransom by rampaging armed bandits in the country especially Kaduna State, the Middle Belt Forum weekend called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the state.
The forum said 224 people were kidnapped in Kaduna since April even as 10 others were killed.
A statement signed by the National President of the Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said el-Rufai, had failed to negotiate with the bandits, and has resorted to making provocative statements that enraged the bandits.
The forum said the Kaduna governor had failed to take steps to protect vulnerable communities.
The group said the most worrisome is the attitude of El-Rufai towards tackling the security challenges confronting the state.
The Middle Belt Forum noted that while he has refused to negotiate with kidnappers, he has also not done anything to secure these weak communities against further attacks on vulnerable communities.
"More than anytime, Governor el-Rufai has continued to provoke bandits through unguarded utterances that have further enraged them to unleash more terror attacks on various communities", said.
The Middle Belt Forum stated that "arising from the glaring failures by Governor el-Rufai to protect lives and property, the MBF is calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on Kaduna State as the governor has shown gross incapacity to maintain peace.
"We call on security forces to create necessary synergies with attacked communities through the establishment of local vigilante groups to track down these criminals that have declared war on our people".
The MBF affirmed that 224 people including students, infants, and the elderly were kidnappers within the period under review while 10 people were killed.
It said the sum of N350 million ransom demand was made by the bandits for the release of 77 members of Libere community.
"The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) is deeply worried by the ugly security situation in the country, especially Kaduna State where the rising spate of insecurity has continued to degenerate on a daily basis.