(Picture used for illustration purpose)
A source (resident) who wishes to be anonymous revealed that one of the wives of the journalists who were kidnapped along with their family members came back on a motorcycle, saying that the bandits abandoned her in the bush because of her ill-health. The source said AbdulRaheem’s wife had to ask for directions from people after she was abandoned in a Fulani settlement.
As reported by The Punch News, the source said, "She came back on a motorcycle this morning, saying they (bandits) abandoned her in the bush because of her ill-health. She managed to ask some people where she was abandoned in a Fulani settlement, and they gave her the direction."
A family member of one of the victims, Taofeeq Olayemi, said the bandits invaded the area and started shooting indiscriminately before performing their operation. He said, "Initially, they picked Abdulgafar, his wife, and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return with one of the children and leaving Abdulgafar, his wife, and two children. They shattered their doors and windows and removed their burglarproofs after scaling the fence.”
The Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said they had asked officers to comb the bush where the bandits are suspected to have entered. He also urged members of the community to remain calm as efforts are being made to secure the release of the victims. In his words, "We have deployed our operatives into the bush where the kidnappers are suspected to be."