A nursing mother, four months old baby and her husband, along with their sales boy have been kidnapped by gunmen at Rafin Ciyawa village in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Thursday.

This is coming as Governor Bala Mohammed, who has been engaging communities in the state on how to end banditry, confessed having sleepless nights over kidnappings and killings by bandits.

Reports from Ningi revealed that the gunmen invaded Rafin Ciyawa on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at about two am.

They reportedly abducted an Igbo business man in the community, his nursing wife, four months old baby and sales boy.

A resident of Rafin Ciyawa, narrated that the gunmen shot sporadically when they invaded the village, frightening people before kidnaping the victims

The resident urged the authorities to urgently come to the aid of the community so that they can live in peace and carry out their normal lives

Chairman of Ningi, Mamuda Hassan Tabla, confirmed that the Ibo businessman, his nursing wife, her baby as well as sales boy were abducted.

Tabla said that 24 hours after abducting the victims, the kidnappers released the nursing mother and the baby after some amount was paid.

He said the kidnappers were still holding the businessman, demanding for the sum of N10m before they would release him.

In another sad incident, gunmen on Saturday, abducted another businessman, Alhaji Ali Dogonruwa in his house in Dogonruwa village in Ningi.

Hassan Tabla, confirmed the development, saying he was shocked and apprehensive, considering that he was trying to sort out a previous case.

He however said that as a Council, a tight security measure has been put in place to ensure that all those in captivity were safely released as well as ensure that such did not happen again in the area.

The Council Chairman said that gunmen were resurfacing in the area because of the raining season which has turned the forest green everywhere thereby taking advantage to operate.

He lamented that because of the muddy nature of the terrain, security agents can no longer enter the forest to comb it like they did during the dry season.

He said that the bandits were using the situation to succeed in their evil operations.

Tabla appealed to the State Government to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of the Council by deploying more armed security personnel, particularly soldiers to the area.

He expressed confidence that with more armed personnel, there will be effective patrol and combing of the entire forest to smoke out the bandits from their hiding areas as was done in the previous years which yielded positive result as the bandits fled the area thereby making the area peaceful.

Bauchi State Police Command Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakili, confirmed the incident.

“At about 2.00hrs, unknown gunmen stormed the house of one Mr Nnami Sunday a businessman at Rafin Ciyawa village in Ningi LGA of Bauchi State took away his wife, Mrs Mercy Nnami 42 years old with her 4 months old baby boy and a sales boy, one Bala Ali who is 27 years old,” he said

“On receiving the information, the Commissioner of Police, Umar Sanda directed the DPO of Ningi, Burra and the Area Commander to commence discreet investigations,” Wakili, a Superintendent of Police, said further.

“Presently, the Command and a group of vigilante have been dispatched to the forests to comb the area for possible rescue of the victims. Other sister security agencies are collaborating with the Police on the rescue mission”. (Daily Sun)

Update news