Customs Officer, five others kidnapped as Bandits invade Kaduna housing estate

By CHIMEZIE ENYIOCHA and EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked a low-cost housing estate at Kofar Gayan in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State and kidnapped six people including a Customs officer and his son.

The police authorities are yet to confirm the incident but a resident of the area told Channels Television that the bandits invaded the estate at about 8 pm on Wednesday and started shooting sporadically. They moved straight to the Customs officer’s residence and thereafter took him away along with his son.

According to the source, the bandits trailed him from his family house in Zaria city down to the estate. Four others within the estate were later abducted by the gunmen.

The incident comes two days after bandits attacked an Abuja-Kaduna-bound train, killed eight people, injured 26, and kidnapped an unspecified number of persons.

Kaduna State and several others in the northwest and north-central regions have suffered from banditry in recent years.

The gunmen have largely targeted schools and other public facilities. Several persons have also been killed and many others injured in the incessant attacks.

Despite efforts by security agencies and the government, attacks by the armed men have continued and there are fears it might spread to other parts of the country.

While the bandits, who have since been declared terrorists by the government, initially attacked communities on the outskirts of states, they have somewhat become brazen in their renewed assaults.

Earlier in the month, they attacked the Kaduna Airport before storming the Abuja-Kaduna rail line a few days later, forcing commuters to resort to road transportation which was largely abandoned due to the rising security concerns in the state. (Channels TV)

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