TheCable

Four nursing mothers are among 18 persons reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Mando village in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna state.

According to sources, the incident reportedly happened around 1:30am on Wednesday.

In a statement, Salisu Haruna, chairman of the Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), said suspected hoodlums wielding AK 47 rifles raided a number of houses, carting away food stuff.

Haruna said security operative could not prevent the attack despite the proximity to an air force base.

“After relative calm along Birnin-Gwari-Funtua road after the sustained onslaught by security forces, we regret to inform the general public of an attack at Mando village, a distance of five kilometres from Birnin-Gwari town,” the chairman said.

“In the latest incident, armed bandits attacked Mando shortly after midnight around 1.30 am and abducted eighteen people, including four nursing mothers.

“The armed bandits did a house-to-house search for grains, other food items and property whose value is yet to be quantified.

“The eighteen people abducted include four nursing mothers with their babies and ten able men. We are calling on the security personnel, particularly, the air force field base in Birnin-Gwari that is just three kilometers to Mando and the governments to be more proactive in protecting lives and property.

“We equally urged our citizens to assist in reporting suspicious elements and their collaborators.”

Mohammed Jalige, spokesman of the Kaduna police command, did not comment on the development.