Four persons have reportedly been killed and 39 others were kidnapped when gunmen raided Kuduru, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as Garam and Azu, two localities in Niger State.
Bandits attacked Garam, a five-minute drive from Bwari, on Saturday, December 23, killing a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and capturing 13 others.
On Thursday, December 28, bandits raided Kuduru, which borders Garam, and kidnapped 18 people.
Bandits also entered Azu on Friday, December 29, killing three individuals and capturing eight more.
Mrs Juliana, a resident of Garam, said the bandits inquired for the address of their target at the first house they entered.
She stated:
“The bandits entered a wrong house, 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 Christians Church of God in the presence of his wife and their three children.
“It was further gathered that when the wife realised that she left her six month old baby behind, she asked the bandits for permission to go and carry the baby, and she was followed back to the house by the only female among the gunmen.
“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.”
The pastor’s wife, it was gathered, is a teacher in one of the government secondary schools in Bwari.
Another eyewitness said the bandits made their way to the house of a military personnel, asking for his rifle and uniform from the wife.
“The wife told them that her husband is on duty. They, however, kidnapped two of his children.”
The eyewitness added that 13 persons were kidnapped, while a five year old son of the Redeemed Church pastor that was killed was abandoned by the bandits at the riverside because he couldn’t cross the river.
The boy was rescued by vigilante operatives who went on the trail of the bandits.
The eyewitness said the bandits have made contact with the victims families and are demanding N50 million for each person as ransom.