Bandits kill police officer, kidnap 23 residents in Kaduna

A police officer has been killed with 23 others abducted when bandits attacked Ungwan Maje and Ungwan Laka villages in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The bandits stormed the villages in the early hours of Wednesday and opened fire on the residents who were still sleeping at that time. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen first attacked Ungwan Maje where they abducted 16 persons, majorly women and children. They later proceeded to the Ungwan Laka community where they killed a mobile police officer identified as Joshua Markus. It was gathered that the slain officer was on a visit to his family from the Rivers State Command where he was serving. The bandits thereafter kidnapped the wife and daughter of the deceased. The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige also confirmed the incident. He said security operatives were on the trail of the bandits with a view to arresting them and rescuing the kidnapped victims.