From Noah Ebije, Kaduna and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Palpable fear has gripped residents of Kaduna following the upsurge in cases of kidnapping. The latest were the abduction of former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Takai Shamang, in his hometown, Biniki, in Kaura Local Government Area and two journalists and members of their families.
Mrs. Grace Abbin, said her 78-year-old father, former president general of the National Union of Electricity and Gas Workers (now National Union of Electricity Employees) between 1982 and 1989, was abducted at his residence at about 8pm on Friday.
Shamang is the president and founder of Gantys Aid for Widows, Orphans and Needy Foundation, popularly known as GAWON Foundation.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in a statement issued by the council’s chairman Asma’u Halilu and the Secretary, Gambo Sanga, issued yesterday, has condemned the abduction of its members on Saturday at about 10:30 pm.
“NUJ has received with shock, the brazen and barbaric attack by suspected kidnappers. The attack resulted in the abduction of the Kaduna State Correspondents of The Nation Newspaper and the Blue Newspaper, alongside their families last night at their residences in Danhono area, a Kaduna suburb, in Chikun Local Government Area.
“We strongly condemn the ugly incident and appeal to the security agencies in the state to swing into action with a view to rescuing the journalists and their families from the kidnappers’ den.”
The statement expressed dismay over the unfortunate abduction of the innocent journalists alongside their wives and children.
“We implore the government at all levels to intensify efforts towards guaranteeing the security of lives and property of the citizens at all times.
”The ugly phenomenon of kidnapping in Kaduna and environs is now resurfacing and must be checked to avert the experiences of the recent past.
“The Kaduna State Council of NUJ, however, enjoined all practicing journalists in the state to be vigilant in their daily activities while also praying for the safe return of their abducted colleagues and their families,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has said the incidence of kidnapping in the country underscores the gross failure of leaders to protect the citizens.
Atiku, in a statement, decried the spate of insecurity in the country and called on security agencies to expedite actions on the release of Nigerians in captivity, as well as prioritise intelligence gathering.
The statement read: “In these perilous times, the courageous sentinels of truth, our journalists, stand as beacons of light, unwavering in their duty to hold power accountable. Yet, they find themselves besieged not only by the terror of abductors but also by a government that continues to assault their freedom through arrests and detention.
“Adding to this travesty is the kidnap of 78-year-old Mr Takai Shamang, President and Founder of Gantys Aid for Widows, Orphans and Needy Foundation (GAWON) and former President General of the National Union of Electricity and Gas Workers (now known as the National Union of Electricity Employees) between 1982 and 1989.
“Before then, Janet Galadima-Gimba, Customary Court judge in the same Kaduna, had been abducted and released. But her sons are still in captivity, with the abductors reportedly making a demand of N150 million as ransom. Elsewhere in Katsina, 75-year-old Hauwa’u Adamu, mother of the popular Hausa singer, Dauda Kahutu Rarara, or Rarara, as he is fondly known was kidnapped on Friday.
“This despicable act underscores the dire state of our nation’s security and the gross failure of our leaders to protect its citizens.
“These abductions are damning indictments of our leaders’ failure to secure the safety of citizens and an intolerable breach of press freedom (as it relates to the journalists).
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the abducted. I call upon the security agencies to act decisively and without delay to secure their release but to prioritise intelligence gathering and sharing. “
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