Unknown gunmen invaded Damba-Kasaya community in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state on Monday, killed one person and abducted many others, including final year students of a Junior Secondary School in the area.
The bandits were said to have arrived the community at about 8am, on motorcycles where they abducted many of the villagers before storming Prince Academy, to abduct Junior Secondary School (JSS3 ) students who were receiving lessons, preparatory to their JSSCE final exams.
According to eyewitnesses, one of the villagers was reportedly killed when they were pursuing the bandits to rescue the kidnapped persons.
A resident of the community, Bawa Wakili, said, “The bandits came in large numbers like they always do and started shooting sporadically. The bandits also destroyed musical and public address system worth thousands of naira in Aminchi Baptist Church, located in the community.”
Wakili, who lamented the security situation in rural communities, said he relocated to Damba-Kasaya a couple of months ago after gunmen sacked his village, Rumana Gbagyi also in Chikun LGA.
Speaking on the latest abduction, he said, “they abducted many people in the village, then they went to Prince Academy and abducted many of the students who were receiving lessons for their JSS3 examinations. I cannot say how many people were kidnapped, but they went away with many people.
“Soldiers who came to their rescue, turned back after some few kilometres, leaving some of the villagers who accompanied them to rescue the victims. The villagers, not knowing that the soldiers had withdrawn, kept pursuing the bandits in the bush, the bandits fired at them and one person was killed.”
Kaduna state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, when contacted said he was not aware but he will find out and revert to Blueprint.
“I will find out and get back to you. Presently I’m at the screening ground for our police cadets, but I will get back to you.”
He was yet to respond as at the time of filling this report.
