*4 killed, 39 abducted in 5 days
By Sarah NEGEDU
A band of daredevil kidnappers, on Thursday night, attacked Kuduru community in Bwari Area Council, where they abducted 18 persons, including two children of a military personnel.
The incident is the third in the series of attacks on Kuduru and the border community of Garam in Niger state, which is just five minutes drive from Bwari Central.
So far, four people were said to have been killed, while 39 others were reportedly kidnapped from Kuduru in Bwari, Azu and Garam communities in Niger State, in the attacks which started on December 23.
Our Correspondent gathered that a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, was killed on Saturday, December 23, when bandits invaded Garam community, where they kidnapped 13 other persons.
Again, on December 28, bandits invaded Kuduru, which shares boundary with Garam, and kidnapped 18 persons.
Hours later, on Friday, December 29, bandits invaded another neighbouring community, Azu, where they killed three people and kidnapped eight others.
A resident of Garam, who identified herself as Mrs. Juliana, said the bandits seem to have targeted the pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, as they asked for his residence when they attacked the first house
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 Christian 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 months old baby behind, she asked for permission of the bandits to go carry the baby, and she was followed back to the house by the only female among the bandits.
However, when the female bandit ran out of patience, she left the woman and joined the others, who then went away 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 pastor that was killed was abandoned by the bandits at the river side because he couldn’t cross the river.
The boy victim was rescued by the vigilante who went on the trail of the bandits.
