Vigilante commander’s wife, son abducted in Jigawa

The wife and son of a vigilante deputy commander, Abdullahi Suleiman, were abducted on Monday in Dutse Jigawa State Capital, residents and police said.

The police said they have rescued the son while efforts are ongoing to get the mother.

Residents told PREMIUM TIMES the gunmen invaded their target residence located in Galamawa community along airport road around midnight.

The community is located near Kachi, Limawa, enroute Dutse Airport and a military formation in Fanisau.

The incident has sparked fear among residents as this is the first kidnap incident in the community, a source confided in PREMIUM TIMES.

The residents identified the victims as Husna, 50 and her son Umar, nine-year-old. They said the criminals may have been targetting the father who is the deputy commander of the vigilante group in the state.

The commander was not around when the incident happened, the residents said.

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson in Jigawa, Audu Jinjiri, said upon getting a distress call, “the police rushed to the scene, however, the kidnappers fled with the victims”.

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Mr Jinjiri said the police received the distress call around 2 a.m that hoodlums were attacking the residence of the commander, Abdullahi Suleiman, in Galamawa and abducted his wife and a child.

“The police alongside vigilante members and some volunteer youth gave the criminals a hot chase forcing them to abandon the child, however, they went away with the mother.

“The police are tracking the suspects. As of Monday afternoon, the kidnappers are yet to contact anyone but efforts are on to rescue (victim) and arrest the criminals,” he said.