At least 18 persons including four nursing mothers were reportedly abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Kaduna.

The incidents occurred during the wee hours of Wednesday morning in Mando, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the State.

Witnesses said the assailants armed with AK 47 assault rifles, stormed the community around 1:30a.m. and raided different houses searching for grains and other food items.

This was made known in a statement signed by Salisu Haruna, Chairman, Brinin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) on Wednesday.

Mr. Haruna disclosed that properties worth millions of naira were carted away by the bandits despite the proximity of a military base.

The statement noted that the gunmen operated with impunity as they carried out a house-to-house search, whisking away with the victims shortly after.

“After relative calm along Birnin-Gwari-Funtua road after the sustained onslaught by security forces, we regret to inform the general public of an attack at Mando village, a distance of five kilometres from Birnin-Gwari town.

“In the latest incident, armed bandits attacked Mando shortly after midnight around 1.30 am and abducted eighteen people, including four nursing mothers.”

“The armed bandits did a house-to-house search for grains, other food items and property whose value is yet to be quantified.

“The eighteen people abducted include four nursing mothers with their babies and ten able men.” Mr. Haruna said.

The union appealed to the military and other security operatives to be more proactive in ensuring the safety of residents’ lives and properties.

“We are calling on the security personnel, particularly the Airforce Field Base Birnin-Gwari, that is just three kilometres to Mando, and the governments, to be more proactive in protecting lives and property.

Efforts to reach the Kaduna Police Command spokesperson was unsuccessful as he did not respond to multiple calls and messages.

Dozens of communities in Kaduna state are ravaged by banditry and kidnapping activities leading to the deaths of hundreds of people and destruction of properties.

The state and federal government are yet to figure out a way that would curtail or end the upsurge of banditry and kidnapping activities that occurs almost on a daily basis.