Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped the wife of the paramount ruler of Ninzo chiefdom, Umar Musa, in the Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Notherwest, Nigeria.
The bandits had earlier abducted a paramount ruler and his wife from his palace at Fadan-Ninzo on Wednesday night along with other residents of the community.
According to an eyewitness, the bandits invaded the palace and started shooting indiscriminately before taking away the traditional ruler and his wife.
Meanwhile, the Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan stated that the kidnapped traditional ruler later escaped from the custody of the bandits after they abandoned him following the heavy pressure mounted by police operatives who immediately rushed to the area upon the receipt of the distress call.
He, however, said that the police operatives are on the trail of the bandits to rescue the traditional ruler’s wife and other hostages who are still in their custody.
The development comes bandits abducted no fewer than 26 persons in Niger State communities.
The incident occured in Mashegu and Shiroro Local Government Areas of the state on Sunday and Monday.
Vanguard gathered that the bandits stormed a village called Adogo Malam and abducted six people.
Similarly, another set of bandits also invaded Tunga Kawo community, three kilometres from Mashegu on Monday and 20 persons were confirmed to have been abducted during the invasion while several cows were rustled.
The bandits were yet to enter into negotiation with families of those abducted, though their whereabouts are also unknown at press time.
The Public Relations Officer of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Malam Hussain Ibrahim confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
He said: “The agency is in receipt of reports of persistent banditry activities at shiroro and Mashegu LGAs. This time, a village called Adogo Mallam in Mashegu council was attacked on Sunday and six persons were kidnapped while on Monday, no fewer than 20 persons were kidnapped in Tunga Kawo community in Erena, Shiroro council of the state with hundreds of cows rustled.”
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