Residents of Danhonu II community in New Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, staged a protest on Monday over the persistent wave of kidnappings, following the abduction of seven people by suspected bandits.
The demonstrators marched to the Millennium City Divisional Police Headquarters, where they blocked the main access road, chanting solidarity songs and calling for immediate and decisive security action.
The most recent attack occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, when armed bandits reportedly invaded the community and kidnapped members of two families.
Among those abducted were Yahaya Yusuf, his wife Latifat Yusuf, and their two sons, Abdulgafar and Abdulqudus. Also taken during the raid were Mrs. Abdulrazak Jimoh and two of her children, whose identities had not been confirmed at the time of this report.
Residents said the incident had heightened fear in the community, noting that it brought the total number of kidnap cases recorded in the area to 11 within a few months.
They alleged that the attacks were targeted mainly at non-indigenes living in the community, raising suspicion that informants might be aiding the criminals.
One of the protesters, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, said the bandits invaded the community in large numbers, armed with sophisticated weapons.
“In the last month, more than four residents have been kidnapped here. Yesterday, no fewer than 15 bandits came with AK-47 rifles and abducted about five residents to an unknown destination,” the protester said.
He added that residents had decided to march to the police station to formally lodge their complaints after enduring repeated attacks.
The Chairman of the Danhonu II Landlords Association and leader of the protest, Akoh Salifu, said the community could no longer live in peace due to the persistent kidnappings.
“We are here because we can no longer live in peace. The pressure from these repeated kidnapping incidents has become unbearable for us,” Salifu said.
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He disclosed that some youths attempted to pursue the kidnappers into the bush after Sunday night’s attack, but were unable to catch up with them.
“As law-abiding citizens, we decided to come to the police to formally register our grievances and cry out for urgent intervention to save our community,” he added.
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the incident to newsmen, saying the police received a distress call and responded promptly.
Hassan said police operatives, alongside soldiers, were deployed to the scene but arrived late due to poor road access and difficult terrain, allowing the bandits to escape despite an exchange of gunfire.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, had visited the community and met with stakeholders, assuring them that the command would consider establishing a police outpost in the area.