Family: How bandits abducted Bungudu LG chair after two-hour siege

Fresh accounts by family members of the abducted Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Abdullahi, have revealed how heavily armed bandits laid siege to his residence for nearly two hours, killed four security personnel and civilians before taking him into captivity.

One of those initially abducted but later released, Abdulssalam Yunusa Mai Jama’a, popularly known as Abbati and a brother-in-law to the council chairman, said the attackers appeared to have detailed intelligence about the chairman’s movements before striking.

Speaking on the incident, Yunusa said, “They entered my room while I was asleep and demanded to know whether the chairman was around. I told them he was not at home, but they hit me with a gun and insisted I was lying.

“They told me they knew the chairman had arrived with three people and that I was one of them. The others were my elder brother and the chairman’s son, Abba. That showed they had accurate information about us.”

Yunusa said the attackers, estimated to be about 20 and all heavily armed, initially tried unsuccessfully to force open three entrances leading to the chairman’s apartment.

“They later took me outside, tied my hands and kept me in the backyard. After some time, I saw them bringing out the chairman’s wife and daughter before they finally succeeded in bringing out the chairman himself,” he narrated.

The victims were then marched across the main road towards the bush.

Yunusa recalled that the chairman repeatedly pleaded with the gunmen to spare his family.

“He told them, ‘They are all my children. Release them and take only me. I will give you whatever you want.'”

According to him, the bandits eventually agreed and released members of the chairman’s family while taking the council boss away alongside four other residents.

He identified those still in captivity as Malam Halliru Ahmad Soja, Husseini Naira, Dan Tandu and Akilu, a domestic worker at the chairman’s residence.

Yunusa said the attack started between 10:40 p.m. and 10:50 p.m. and lasted for more than two hours.

He expressed disappointment over what he described as a delayed response by security agencies.

“Had security personnel responded to the distress calls on time, none of us would have been abducted,” he said.

Another family member, Anas Ibrahim, popularly known as Dealer, described the incident as one of the worst security breaches ever witnessed in Bungudu town.

“The bandits operated freely in the heart of Bungudu for almost two hours without interruption,” he said.

Anas claimed residents had noticed suspicious movements before the attack and alerted security agencies through social media platforms.

“We informed the security agencies after seeing suspicious faces moving around town. We believed they would investigate, but nothing happened until the attackers struck,” he alleged.

He further disclosed that the attackers stationed armed men around neighbouring houses to prevent anyone from intervening.

According to him, the chairman’s elder brother, Alhaji Bello, a former state auditor, was shot three times while attempting to assist his younger brother after hearing about the attack.

“The bandits positioned two men outside our house and another two outside Alhaji Bello’s residence. When he came out after receiving the information, they opened fire and he sustained three gunshot wounds,” Anas said.

The chairman’s wife, Balira, said the kidnappers eventually directed those they released to a route leading back into Bungudu town.

“They showed us the way back home, and we returned through the ‘Yar Zaude area,” she said.

Anas also confirmed that the attack claimed the lives of two police officers attached to the chairman, a vigilante identified as Nura ADC and a water vendor, popularly known as Ba’are, who was reportedly caught in the violence.

He lamented the worsening security situation in Bungudu, saying it was disturbing that armed bandits could operate for hours inside the town without resistance.

“It is heartbreaking that they carried out the operation for hours and left with the chairman without any interruption,” he said.