KADUNA: Two Nigeria journalists Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Abduraheem Aodu who were both kidnapped along with their family members by gunmen have been set free, after one week in captivity with bandits.
Abdulgafar Alabelewe of The Nation newspaper, and his counterpart in Blueprint Newspaper, AbdulRaheem Aodu, along with their wives and children were kidnapped when bandits stormed Danhonu Community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government area of the State last week.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council, Comrade Asma’u Yawo Halilu confirmed the release of
Alhaji Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Abduraheem Aodu and their families late Saturday in a statement, which however did not give account of ransom payment to secure the release the hostages.
The statement reads, “To the glory of God Almighty, our colleagues, Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Abduraheem Aodu and their families have been released.
“The Council extends her profound gratitude to the office of the CP, Kaduna State Command, office of the National Security Adviser, the Director General, Department of State Security Service, DSS, the Inspector-General of Police, Kaduna State Government, the NUJ President, and all well meaning Nigerians that prayed along with us during the trying time.
“We will soon announce when they will join us in Kaduna so that we could visit, rejoice and glorify God with them”, Halilu said in the statement.
Earlier before the hostages were released, a family member of one of the hostages, Taofeeq Olayemi, had stated that the bandits stormed the Community at about 10:30pm on Saturday July 6th 2024 and started shooting sporadically before carrying out their action.
He said they kidnapped Alhaji Alabelewe, his wife and two of his children, while Alhaji Aodu and his wife were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.
He said, “they (bandits) initially, picked Alhaji Abdulgafar, his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return back with one of the children living with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.
“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence”, according to Daily Trust Newspaper Report.
TheNewspad reports that the abduction of Alhaji Alabelewe who is the chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel in the Council and other hostages, had sparked outrage in the Media.
Families, friends and well-wishers of the freed hostages have began to send goodwill messages to the Media practitioners and the leadership of the pen fraternity, thanking God for keeping them from harm’s way.
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