Bandits have abducted six worshippers in a mosque in Azara community, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
A resident of Azara, Tanimu Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust on Monday, March 2, said the bandits entered the community while residents were observing Taraweeh prayers on Thursday.
He said the bandits shot sporadically into the air before whisking away six adults—four men and two women.
Ibrahim added that the bandits also raided another house while fleeing the community and abducted two additional persons.
However, those two victims managed to escape as they were being led into the bush.
“Two other victims were abducted, but as God would have it, they narrowly escaped on their way into the forest,” he said.
A community leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the abduction and identified the victims as Saifullahi Harisu, Yakubu Yunusa, Abba Minkailu, Yusha’u Sadiku, Maryam Abdullahi, and Aisha Yakubu.
The leader further revealed that the abductors established contact on Friday morning, demanding a N30 million ransom for the victims’ release.
“Contact was established around 11 am on Friday when the bandits’ leader called and demanded N30 million and he immediately switching off the phone,” he said.
Police source in the area confirmed the abduction but declined further details, referring our reporter the state police command in Kaduna.