Fresh Tension in Kwara as Gunmen Strike Again, Kidnap Expatriates
- Kwara state was again in the spotlight over banditry and kidnapping, days after some church worshippers were rescued from a kidnapper's den in the state
- No fewer than two Chinese nationals working on a road project in the state were abducted by some masked gunmen on Monday, December 1
- Adekimi Ojo, the state's commissioner of police, confirmed the abduction to journalists on Friday, December 5
Two Chinese nationals who were working on a road project in Kwara have been reportedly kidnapped by some gunmen on Monday, December 1.
The expatriates were said to be among those working on the BUA Bode Saadu–Kaiama–Kosubosu road when the masked assailants arrived at the site and started shooting sporadically.
Source: Original
Police confirm abduction of expatriates in Kwara
According to The Cable, the incident happened at the site in Ejidongari in the Moro Local Government Area of the state. It was confirmed by the commissioner of police, Adekimi Ojo, on Friday, December 5.
Ojo's statement reads in part:
“It is true that they were abducted from the construction site; they are working with BUA. That’s all for now”.
Kwara has been one of the hotspots for insecurity in recent weeks. The state has experienced a rise in kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
The incident happened as President Bola Tinubu announced the nomination of the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd), as the new Minister of Defence. Musa's nomination followed the resignation of Abubakar Badaru from the same position.
President Tinubu had earlier announced the nomination of Musa as a minister-designate, just a day after he held a meeting with him at the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday, December 1.
General Musa visits the presidential villa
General Musa reportedly arrived at the State House around 7 pm and was led to the office of the president immediately. The reason for the meeting was yet to be disclosed as of the time of writing this report.
One month after the sacking of Musa as the CDS, Nigeria has experienced a series of banditry attacks, women and children were kidnapped, and some innocent people were gunned down.
In Niger state, 300 pupils and 15 teachers were kidnapped at the St. Mary’s School in Agwara local government area. Students were kidnapped in Kebbi, and church worshippers were abducted in Kwara state.
The development has led to widespread outrage in the country, and the president, in addressing the matter, declared a state of emergency on security in the country. He also ordered massive recruitment in the police and military, while calling on the national assembly to amend the constitution to allow states to have their own police.
Source: Twitter
Lawyer reacts to bandits' attack
Binzak Azeez, a legal practitioner, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, believe that the assailants were working for some big men and called on them to get to the root of the matter and fix things. He said:
"In my assessment, the young people who are carrying out the current mass abduction are working for some powerful persons in the country, and a large number of these youths are jobless and without any purposeful living."
NLC threatens protest over insecurity
Legit.ng earlier reported that the NLC threatened to mobilise its members for nationwide protests over the rising insecurity in some parts of the country.
Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, explained that Nigeria is currently under siege and that the union would not sit back and watch miscreants take over the country.
This came days after President Bola Tinubu announced the appointment of a new Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, to address growing insecurity.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
