No fewer than 21 people have been abducted by gunmen in Nigeria’s Kaduna State.
The victims, which included 17 members of one family, were abducted from Udawa village in Chikun local government area of the state at the weekend.
The abductions took place in two separate incidents.
Liman Hussaini, a community leader in Udawa, confirmed the incident, explaining that the gunmen stormed the area and started shooting sporadically.
Several persons were reportedly injured in the incidents.
Four people were said to have been kidnapped on Friday while 17 others were abducted on Saturday on their way to the farm around 7am.
Four other relatives of the family members who were abducted on Saturday were rushed to a hospital in Kaduna, following injuries sustained during the attack.
“You know there is serious hunger. People are finding it very difficult to feed, but now that the maize is done, many families depend on it to feed. We have started harvesting maize which we use for feeding because there is no food.
“The head of this family of 21 was riding on a bike with one of his sons and two daughters to the farm when the bandits opened fire on them after abducting 17 members of the family.
“The man was shot on the leg; the son was shot in the mouth. One of the daughters was shot on the chest; the other daughter was shot on the hand. The four of them were taken to a hospital in Kaduna.”