Gunmen Kill One, Kidnap Seven in Early Morning Attack on Kaduna Community

 

Suspected bandits launched a deadly attack on Sabon Gyero community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing one resident and abducting seven others in the early hours of Monday.

Eyewitnesses and local sources reported that the armed assailants, arriving in large numbers, stormed the neighbourhood around dawn while most residents were still asleep. The gunmen reportedly went directly to a private residence, where they abducted three women and four children from the same family before escaping into surrounding bushes.

In a separate incident during the same raid, the attackers targeted a phone-charging centre in the community. They shot and killed a young man identified as Abdullahi Lawal, popularly known as “Kurma,” who was attending to customers at the time. Some accounts described the victim as a deaf individual, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the assault.

A community source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the abductions and killing, noting that the bandits operated swiftly and fled before security forces could respond effectively. One of the abducted women was reportedly released later by the kidnappers due to health complications, according to preliminary information.

The attack has heightened fears among residents of Millennium City, an area that has witnessed recurring incidents of banditry and kidnapping in recent months. Local vigilantes and security agencies are said to have been alerted, but no immediate rescue or arrest details have been released.

Kaduna State has continued to grapple with insecurity challenges, including armed banditry, cattle rustling, and ransom kidnappings, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities like Chikun LGA. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the latest incident, but community leaders have called for enhanced security deployment and proactive measures to curb the menace.

This event underscores the persistent threat to civilian safety in the region, prompting renewed demands for stronger government intervention to restore peace.