A man simply identified as Sikiru was killed while his wife housewife, two children and six others were abducted by bandits who invaded Babban Saura (PW) community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the early hours of Thursday.
The bandits invaded three houses in the community, according to community source.
The source said the attackers first invaded the residence of an elderly man and abducted two of his children.
He said the assailants later proceeded to the residence of the man identified as Sikiru, where they broke through the fence and gained entry into the compound.
According to him, Sikiru attempted to resist the attackers when they entered his parlour and engaged some of them in a struggle.
The source said the bandits eventually shot and killed him before abducting his wife and two children.
He added that the attackers also invaded a neighbouring house, where they abducted a woman and her four children.
The woman, identified as Maman Mubarak, was later rescued by soldiers and local vigilantes, while her four children remained in captivity.
The commander of the local vigilantes, Usman Adamu, confirmed the incident to, saying nine persons were initially abducted.
Adamu said the vigilantes received a distress call about the attack and immediately alerted soldiers, who joined them in pursuing the bandits.
“We received a distress call that bandits had entered Babban Saura PW, and so we informed soldiers who joined us.
“We traced them to the Eastern Bypass area and succeeded in rescuing a woman, Maman Mubarak, whose four children were among those kidnapped,” he said.
He said the security personnel made efforts to rescue the other victims, but the attackers escaped with them.
Another resident, who identified himself as Anas, said Sikiru had called him after the attackers stormed the community.
During a visit to the community, sympathisers were seen gathered at the deceased’s residence, while residents expressed concern over the security situation.
The attack came a few days after suspected bandits invaded a nearby Kadaure community, where a man was reportedly killed and cows rustled.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Kaduna State Police Command were unsuccessful as the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansur Hassan, could not be reached on phone.
Hassan had also not responded to a text message sent to him.
