Suspected bandits in Zamfara State in the early hours of Tuesday kidnapped children of a former Commissioner for Local Governments in the state, Alhaji Bello Dankande Gamji.
The gunmen also killed their neighbour who attempted to rescue the children when the suspected bandits forced their way into the former commissioner’s house.
They also kidnapped the security guard in the house along with Gamji’s three children.
Gamji said the bandits went to his house around 4am while he was in Gusau town in the state capital to carry out the operations.
He said he received a phone call from his family intimating him of the sad incident and he immediately rushed to the village.
The former commissioner explained that the bandits fired several shots into the house, thinking that he was around, but killed a neighbour, Shafiu Isa Gamji, who had come to rescue his children from the gunmen.
Gamji said, “I received a phone call from my family in the early hours of today, intimating me of the sad incident and I immediately rushed to the village.
“They killed my neighbour, Shafiu Isa Gamji, who came to rescue the family on the spot and abducted four others in the house namely, Mujtaba Bello Gamji, Abdulmutallab Bello Gamji, Bashiru Gamji and the watchman, Mansur Suleiman.”
He said he had reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Bakura Local Government Area, Alhaji Garba Mahuta, adding that some officials of the military, police, and Civil Defence Corps had already visited the house.
State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shehu Mohammed, who confirmed the incdent, said, “The police are aware of the kidnap of the four persons from the former commissioner’s house.
“The person, Shafiu Isa Gamji, who was shot dead by the bandits was a neighbour of the former commissioner who confronted the bandits in a bid to render assistance.”
He stated that the police command had already drafted its personnel in order to rescue the kidnapped persons as it had been doing in the past.