Catholic Priest, Eight Others Abducted in Kaduna Fresh Attacks

John Shiklam in Kaduna

A Catholic priest, identified as Fr. Kunat and eight others, have been abducted in separate attacks in Idon, Kajuru Local Government Area and Oil Village, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis, located near the Kaduna refinery.

Although details about the abduction of  Fr. Kunat was still sketchy at press time, it was however learnt that the bandits invaded his residence in Idon at midnight on Monday and abducted him.

Also, the attack on Oil Village allegedly occurred at about 7:45pm on Monday night, too.

A resident of the area, who confirmed the incident in a telephone chat, said the bandits, numbering about 15, invaded the community.

He said the bandits sneaked into the community and surrounded the residence of a widow, who had gone to buy something within the neighbourhood,  but noticed some strange movements as she returned home.

The criminals were said to have swooped in on her and her children as she entered the house.

According to the resident, another widow, who also lived  in the same compound, the widow ran into the hoodlums as she  returned home from a visit within the neighbourhood.

He said, at gun point, the bandits ordered the widow  to show them homes of residents, who owned cars and were rich, saying nine people were abducted but one person later escaped and returned home on Tuesday morning.

According to him, “The bandits came around 7:45pm on Monday  and surrounded the resident of a widow. They were about 15 and they were well-armed. The widow went out to buy something within the neighbourhood. As  soon as she entered her house, she noticed some strange movements.

“Suddenly, the the kidnappers swooped on her and her three children in the house. Another widow, who also lives  in the same compound was  returning home from a visit within the neighbourhood with her daughter and ran into them in the house as they didn’t know what was going on.

“Two of the bandits quickly left with the other widow and four children. At gun point, the bandits asked the widow to take them round the houses of people, who have cars and are rich in the community. They went to the first house, there was nobody. On their way to the next house,  somebody, who was driving out of the community after dropping a friend, was attacked.

“They opened fire at the car as he was driving out and the man stopped and he was picked. As they rushed at  the man,  the woman managed to escaped into hiding. After getting the man,  they entered  another house and picked a mother and her two grown up children. The sound of gunshots on the car was what raised the alarm in the community.

“We ran into hiding. We call the Sabon Tasha Divisional Police Station, but the personnel came about two hours after the bandits had fled. Nine people were abducted, but one person escaped as they were crossing a river somewhere along Abuja road,” he added.