The Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the abduction of its members and their families in the state. In a statement, the council described the attack as “brazen and barbaric” and appealed to security agencies to rescue the captives.
On Saturday night, suspected kidnappers invaded the Dahjonu community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area, and abducted two journalists, Abdulgafar Alabelewe and AbdulRaheem Abdu, along with their wives and children. Alabelewe is also the chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ, Kaduna State Council.
The NUJ expressed shock and outrage at the attack, urging the federal and state governments to prioritize the security of lives and property. The council also advised journalists in the state to be vigilant in their daily activities.
The statement read, “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 NUJ called on the government to intensify efforts to guarantee the security of citizens, adding that the resurgence of kidnapping in Kaduna must be checked to avoid a repeat of past experiences.
The council expressed solidarity with the families of the abducted journalists and prayed for their safe return.