Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday, expressed concern over the safety of two journalists kidnapped at the weekend in Kaduna – Messers Abdulgafar Alabelewe and Mr. AbdulRaheem Abdu, the Kaduna state’s correspondents of The Nation and Blue Print newspapers respectively.
Armed men had stormed Danhonu community in Millennium city of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and raided the houses of the reporters, abducting them, their wives and children.
The bandits had released Abdulraheem’s wife after she was unable to keep up, as she was recovering from an ailment.
A family member of one of the victims, Taofeeq Olayemi, said no contact had been made with the families since the incident.
“It is a very trying period for the family because we do not know the situation they are in and we do not know where they are. We are just praying to Allah to protect them and soften the hearts of their abductors,” he had said.
NPAN President, Kabiru Yusuf, in a statement, said, “More worrying is the prolonged silence from their abductors who seized the journalists along with members of their families, including wives and children.
“The trauma induced on both their biological and professional families by this condemnable event, are better imagined
“We call on the Federal Government to ensure the safe return of the journalists and their families, by deploying all the necessary security assets at its disposal.
“We stand in sympathy with the families as we pray for their safe return. We appeal to their abductors to ensure that none of them come to harm but returned all safely.”
Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, had said operatives were trying their best to secure the release of the victims unharmed.
“We have deployed our operatives into the bush where the kidnappers are suspected to be in the area,” he had said.
