Tag: Kidnap

By BANNERNEWS Reporter

Passengers travelling in three vehicles, including a commercial Sienna bus, were on Monday evening abducted by gunmen along the Ejule–Alloma highway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, with injured victims abandoned at the scene.

The incident occurred at about 5pm near Government Secondary School, Alloma, as the vehicles were heading towards Enugu from their respective departure points, eyewitnesses said.

According to witnesses, the convoy ran into an ambush by armed men who opened fire on the vehicles, forcing them to stop before herding several passengers into the bush.

An eyewitness told BANNERNEWS that gunshots fired at the vehicles left some passengers with varying degrees of gunshot injuries, while others were forcefully taken away by the attackers.

He said soldiers later arrived at the scene and evacuated victims who could not be taken into the forest due to injuries or death, while security operatives commenced a search-and-rescue operation in the surrounding bushes.

A security source, however, gave a clearer account, stating that at about 1700hrs on February 9, 2026, a Sienna bus, a jeep and a Honda Accord conveying passengers from Ejule to Enugu were attacked by gunmen.

The source disclosed that four passengers travelling in the Sienna bus were kidnapped, while occupants of the Honda Accord and the jeep sustained injuries and were rushed to the Comprehensive Hospital, Alloma, where they are currently receiving treatment.

“Bush combing is ongoing with the combined efforts of the Army, Police and local vigilantes,” the source added.

Meanwhile, the Operation Commander of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS), Idah Area Command, Kassim Itodo, confirmed the rescue of one of the abducted victims, identified as Blessing Richard, from a bush around Alade settlement in the area.

The rescued woman said she was travelling from Abah to Kaduna when their vehicle was intercepted at Alloma community and the passengers were marched into the forest by the abductors.

She explained that she was abandoned after she became exhausted and fainted following hours of trekking through the forest, a claim she made in a video clip seen by BANNERNEWS.

The victim, who was first taken to Iboko settlement after her rescue, is currently receiving medical attention at a hospital in Alloma.

Efforts to get official confirmation from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, did not respond to calls or text messages as of the time of filing this report.

By BANNERNEWS Reporter

Eleven people, including Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, have been kidnapped in Karku community, Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, while three others were killed. The deceased have been identified as Jacob Dan’azumi, Maitala Kaura, and Alhaji Kusari.

Fr. Asuwaye, parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku, was abducted from his residence around 3:20 a.m. on Friday, family sources said.

The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan described the attack as a violent invasion by armed men. In a statement signed by the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Jacob Shanet, the Diocese said the abductors stormed the area in large numbers, creating fear and confusion before taking their victims to an unknown location.

While security agencies are yet to issue an official response, the Diocese has called on priests, religious members, lay faithful, and people of goodwill to intensify prayers for the safe release of Fr. Asuwaye and the other abductees.

“The entire Diocese of Kafanchan entrusts them to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of all priests and help of Christians, for their speedy and safe release,” the statement added.

Residents of Karku have appealed to the government and security agencies to increase surveillance, citing repeated security threats in recent months.

Attempts to reach the Kaduna State Police Command for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

By BANNERNEWS Reporter
Abductors on Thursday night spared a man in Unguwar Uku community, Maraban Jos, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, after mistaking him for a houseboy, but whisked away his two wives.
The attackers reportedly stormed the residence around 11pm and confronted the man, asking after the owner of the house. Owing to his small stature, they failed to recognise him as the husband.
A source said the man told the assailants that the house owner was not at home, a response that enabled him to escape. The abductors, however, turned on his two wives, both nursing mothers, and took them away, abandoning their infants.
Residents said the gunmen fled the area shortly after seizing the women, triggering panic within the community.
A family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the victims were wives of his brother and said the attackers mistook the husband for a teenager.
The husband has since appealed to the public to pray for the safe return of his abducted wives.
The incident occurred barely two weeks after suspected bandits abducted more than 160 villagers in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna State Command, DSP Mansir Hassan, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.
Meanwhile, the police command has announced the arrest of seven suspected bandits in separate operations across the state.
In a statement, the command said five suspects were arrested on January 28 by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, with recovered items including an AK-47 rifle, two Beretta pistols, a fabricated firearm and live ammunition. Two other suspects were arrested the following day in Zaria during a stop-and-search operation.
The Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, commended the officers for what he described as swift, intelligence-led operations and reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for banditry and other criminal activities in Kaduna State.

By BANNERNEWS Reporter
Bandits on Monday launched a deadly attack on Tashar Kuturu community in Jangebe District of Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, abducting at least 26 persons, mostly women and children, and setting several shops ablaze.
The attack occurred between 1:00am and 3:00am when heavily armed bandits stormed the village, firing sporadically and causing residents to flee into the bush. Community sources said the attackers operated for nearly two hours and overpowered local security presence with superior firepower.
Chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Hon. Yahaya Abubakar Yari, confirmed that 23 persons were initially abducted from Tashar Kuturu, but one later escaped, leaving 22 currently in captivity. He added that the victims include women and children.
Yari also confirmed that the bandits shot a mentally unstable man in the legs and hands during the attack. The victim, he said, is presently receiving medical treatment.
Earlier, Chairman of Muryar Talata Mafara, Comrade Kabiru Jangebe, had given a higher preliminary figure, saying more than 40 persons, including nursing mothers and children, were missing after the attack. He explained that confusion arose as families fled and data was yet to be fully compiled.
An elderly community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, later said a house-to-house search helped reconcile the figures, confirming that 22 persons remain missing from Tashar Kuturu, including five nursing mothers, while one young boy escaped from the abductors.
The bandits also looted and set ablaze several shops during the raid. Residents said at least nine shops were affected, including three major provision stores, with medicines, food items and mobile phones carted away.
Security sources said troops from nearby Anka responded to the distress call with armoured vehicles, forcing the bandits to retreat. However, the attackers reportedly split into groups and diverted security attention, allowing some of them to escape.
Meanwhile, Hon. Yari disclosed that the bandits had, a day earlier, attacked Matura village in Kagara District of the same local government area, where three persons were abducted and one killed, raising renewed concerns over escalating insecurity in the area.