Residents flee Zaria neighbourhoods over kidnappers’ rampage

In the ancient city of Zaria, rising cases of violent abductions of residents is forcing many to flee their neighbourhoods for safety. Those with nowhere to go are living on edge, as Daily Trust reports

When gunmen invaded Kuregu-Wusasa in Zaria on January 25, killed a soldier, a civilian, and abducted six others near the railway tracks, a seven-year-old boy heard of the incident.

The gunmen had engaged security agents in a shoot-out, which led to the killing of the soldier. They then set ablaze a military vehicle.

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The boy is the son of Malam Musa Shehu, a resident of Tsallaken Dogo in Zaria, who said his son has been traumatized since the event.

Shehu, who still resides in the community after some residents fled due to insecurity, said he fears for his family’s safety but he has nowhere to go to.

“My son has consistently asked me: ‘Daddy when are we relocating?’ but I told him to be patient because this is our home and I was born here. We have no other home to go to, we have now resorted to special prayers for God’s intervention,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that the incident happened one week after gunmen attacked the home of Professor Aliyu Muhammad, the Head of Department, Crop Production at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, abducted him and killed his son, Abdulaziz Aliyu.

Two other abductions have occurred in Zaria within the last week with residents reporting that one involved a medical practitioner and the other involved security agents.

Residents told Daily Trust that with recurring abductions, the ancient city of Zaria is under siege from kidnappers. Zaria is host to numerous Federal Government and state institutions, including the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Aviation College, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, military schools and barracks as well as the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic.

Prior to the last three months, Zaria had remained relatively peaceful despite banditry around forests within its neighbouring LGA’s of Giwa and Birnin Gwari. However, since November, residents say the ancient city has come under the threat of bandits and kidnappers who target residents, then sneak into the city mostly at night to abduct them for ransom.

High profile abductions in the last 3 months

Since November 2020, there have been at least three high profile abductions that involved members of the academic community in Zaria LGA.

On November 14, 2020, gunmen attacked the staff quarters of Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic along the Kaduna-Zaria highway and abducted the Head of Department, Computer Engineering of the institution, Bello Atiku alongside two of his neighbour’s children.

Daily Trust reports that the victims were eventually released nine days later after an undisclosed amount was paid as ransom.

Hours apart from the release of Mr Atiku, a lecturer with the Department of Physiology at the Ahmadu Bello University, Ibrahim Bako, was abducted when gunmen invaded his home on Sardauna Crescent within the university’s main campus.

Bako was earlier abducted alongside his wife and daughter but an exchange of fire between the kidnappers and Mobile Police operatives had led the kidnappers to release the lecturer’s wife and daughter but escaped with him. It took one month and a ransom of more than N2 million for Bako to regain his freedom.

While residents expressed shock over rising kidnappings within the academic community, Professor Aliyu Muhammed was abducted on January 17, 2020, at his Wusasa residence.

Even though his abductors killed one of his sons and injured another during the attack, they have continued to demand N10million as ransom for his freedom.

Our correspondents gathered from family sources that Professor Aliyu Muhammad is still in captivity and ransom negotiations with the abductors is ongoing.

The Professor’s son, Dr Khalifa Aliyu expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached soon with his father’s abductors but declined further comment so as not to jeopardize his safety.

Residents flee their homes

Residents of at least 10 communities in Zaria, such as Kuregu, Wusasa, Dala, Madachi, Tsallaken Dogo, Sayen Mai Doya, Dorayi, Buzai, Kofar Gayan, and Anguwar Kaya have expressed fear over their safety with some fleeing their homes due to increased abductions. Our correspondents gathered that most of these communities are located within the outskirts of the city where the houses are scattered.

A Resident of Kuregu, Kenneth Chinanuife, told our correspondents that he recently relocated from the area after his relative was abducted.

Chinanuife said he had also received messages of threats that he would be kidnapped, which forced him to relocate immediately.

He said many others have left Kuregu due to the recent incidents adding that “those there are having sleepless nights because the situation is deteriorating by the day.”

Another resident of Madachi, who prefers anonymity, said his pregnant wife and her sister were abducted last year, adding that the kidnappers almost killed his younger brother when he tried to escape during the attack.

“Since then, I have lost interest in the community even though the house is mine,” he said.

Similarly, a house owner at Madachi who identified himself as Adamu said many have attempted to sell their homes to relocate to other areas but there are no willing buyers.

“Our community is at the junction to Galadima village in Giwa Local Government Area and this makes us an easy target of gunmen,” he said.

Adamu described the situation as disturbing because abductions are becoming more frequent by the day. He said Madachi, just before the railway tracks as well as Galadima, before the bridge, which links Wusasa to Kuregu, have become danger zones because gunmen frequent the route to gain access to communities.

When contacted, the Village Head of Kuregu-Wusasa, Alhaji Ahmadu Amfani described the recent happenings as unfortunate saying such attacks have now gradually spread to Zaria.

“Despite these challenges, we are still pleading with our people not to move out of the area,” he said, adding that they have begun sensitizing residents on security measures to protect themselves and their families.

A local vigilante, who didn’t want his name mentioned, urged other vigilantes not to be discouraged by the deteriorating security situation in the area and asked them to show more commitment towards defending the communities from being overrun by gunmen.

“Most times, those arrested for being informants to kidnappers usually find their way back to the communities and as security agents and those volunteering to keep our communities safe, that puts our lives in danger because they usually come after us,” he said.

Contacted, the Kaduna State police command through the Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige asked for time to comment on the security situation in Zaria but hours later, Jalige did not respond to the several calls placed to his phone.