Sokoto community paid N160bn ransoms, levies to bandits
A Pastor identified with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and three other persons have been reportedly killed and 39 others abducted after bandits stormed Kuduru town, Bwari area council, Abuja, Garam community, and Azu community in neighbouring Niger State.
Reports revealed that the attacks were carried out on Saturday, December 23.
Vanguard quoted witnesses to have revealed that the bandits attacked Garam town in Niger state, about five minutes from Bwari town Abuja, killing a pastor and abducting 13 people.
On Thursday, December 28, another group of bandits attacked Kuduru town in Abuja, sharing a border with Garam, abducting 18 people.
On Friday, December 29, bandits again invaded the Azu community, still in Niger State, killing three persons and abducting eight others.
A Garam resident simply identified as Juliana said the bandits initially missed their intended target and went to the wrong house, where they kidnapped two children.
“The bandits entered the wrong house, and kidnapped two boys who later led them to the house of their target.
“When they got there, they kidnapped the entire family, but while leaving the house, they shot the man (their target), who is a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in the presence of his wife and their three children,” she said.
It was also said that when the woman realized that she had forgotten the baby, she asked the bandits for permission to return for the baby, and was accompanied to the home by the only woman among the banditry.
“However, when the female bandit ran out of patience, she left the woman, joined the others and went with the other kidnapped persons who were 13 in number,” an eyewitness said.
It was also reported that the pastor’s wife works as a teacher at a government secondary school in the Bwari area.
According to another witness, the bandits went to the home of a military man and demanded his gun and uniform from his wife.
“The wife told them that her husband was on duty. They, however, kidnapped two of his children,” the eyewitness reportedly said.
An eye-witness said that 13 people were abducted, while the pastor’s five-year old son, who was also killed, was left at the river’s edge by the banditry because he was unable to cross.
The boy was saved by a vigilance team that went on the banditry’s trail, Naija News learnt.
[NaijaNews]
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