TheCable

A Catholic priest, identified as “Father Kunat”, and nine other persons have been abducted in separate attacks on  Idon, Kajuru LGA, and oil village, a suburb of the Kaduna metropolis. 

While the details of Kunat’s abduction were still sketchy as of press time, TheCable understands that the priest was kidnapped following an invasion of his residence in Idon at midnight on Monday. 

Meanwhile, the attack on oil village was said to have occurred at about 7:45pm on Monday. 

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

He said the attackers “sneaked” into the community and surrounded the residence of a widow. 

The widow, who was said to have gone to buy something within the neighbourhood, reportedly noticed some strange movements as she returned. 

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

The resident said, at gunpoint, the bandits ordered the widow to show them homes of residents who own cars and are rich.

“They went to the first house, but there was nobody. On their way to the next house, somebody who was driving out of the community after dropping a friend was attacked,” the resident said.

“They opened fire on the car as he was driving out and the man stopped and he was picked. As they rushed at the man,  the widow managed to escape 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 called 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.”

Mohammed Jalige, spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, could not be reached when contacted as his mobile telephone was switched off.