Boko Haram kidnap over 20 persons in Zamfara

At least, 20 people were kidnapped when bandits attacked Furfuri community in Bungudu local government area of Zamfara State, Sunday night.

Among those abducted were two wives of a former Accountant-General of Zamfara State, Abu-Bello Furfuri.

Sources, however, said the two wives, Hajia Khadija and Hajia Ade were rescued by members of a vigilante group in the area.

It was gathered that two of his female children and some domestic staff are still being held by the bandits.

The two abducted daughters are Zulaihat Abu-Bello and Zainab Abu-Bello.

Furfuri community is less than 10 kilometres from the capital city, Gusau.

Abdullahi Shehu, a resident of Bungudu town, said the bandits attacked the community around 11 p.m. Sunday night and went straight to the former Accountant-General’s residence.

“He (former Accountant General) lives with his family in Furfuri even when he was the accountant general, so it’s possible the attack was a deliberate one because they went straight to his house when they entered the community.”

Though Shehu said Furfuri was at home when the bandits struck, he said the man was helped by one of his domestic staff to leave the house through a back exit.

He said other houses were attacked. In one house, eight siblings were reportedly abducted by the bandits.

“What we know now is that 18 residents are with the bandits including Zulaihat and Zainab and three other domestic staff taken from the forrmer AG (Accountant General) house. Seven of them were taken but with the rescue of the two wives, he now has five people to save. The remaining 13 people were picked from other houses. They could be more than that but for now, this is what we’ve gathered.”

PREMIUM TIMES gathered from an anonymous member of the ex-accountant-general’s family that his two wives were, however, rescued by a team of vigilance members in the area.

He said immediately after the attack, the vigilance members mobilised their men and followed the bandits.

“That’s how they do,” he said. “Anytime there is an attack, the vigilante members regroup and either block or chase the bandits to see if they can rescue some of the abductors.

“Immediately the bandits left Furfuri, we alerted the vigilante members who went after the gunmen and because the wives are too weak to walk the distance to where the bandits kept their motorcycles.”

He said the wives have been handed over to their husband.

Contacted, the Zamfara State police command spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, said he was in a meeting. He, however, confirmed the abduction but didn’t give details.