In a brazen act that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s media landscape, gunmen stormed a quiet Kaduna community on Saturday night, abducting two prominent journalists and their family members. The targeted victims, Abdulgafar Alabelewe, the Kaduna State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Bureau Chief for The Nation newspaper, and AbdulRaheem Aodu, Bureau Chief for Blueprint newspaper, were seized along with their wives and children in a late-night raid.
The attack, which occurred around 10:30 pm in the Danhonu community of Chikun Local Government Area, has sparked outrage and fear. Witnesses reported sporadic gunfire erupting in the neighborhood before armed men stormed the homes of Alabelewe and Aodu, who lived near each other.
“They entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence,” recounted a distraught family member who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Guardian. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately.
Similar scenes unfolded at Aodu’s residence. Thankfully, the gunmen reportedly released Aodu’s wife due to her ill health. However, the fate of the remaining family members – two of Alabelewe’s children and Aodu’s children – remains unknown.
The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the abduction and launched a search operation. Security operatives are on the trail of the kidnappers with a view to arresting them and rescuing the victims safely,” a spokesperson for the command stated. However, this assurance does little to quell the rising anxieties within the press corps and the wider Nigerian public.
The abduction of Alabelewe, a respected figure within the Kaduna NUJ, carries a particularly sinister undertone. Some observers believe it might be a deliberate attempt to intimidate journalists and stifle press freedom in the volatile state. Kaduna has long grappled with violence and insecurity, with kidnappings for ransom a persistent threat.
This is a chilling attack on the very people who hold power to account,” declared Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the National President of the NUJ. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of our colleagues and their families. The perpetrators of this crime must be brought to justice.”
Arogundade’s statement reflects the collective anger and frustration within the media community. Social media has been flooded with condemnations of the abduction, with journalists and rights groups using the hashtag #BringBackOurColleagues to amplify their demands for the victims’ safe return.
The motive for the abductions remains unclear at this time. While ransom demands are a common feature in such cases, the targeting of journalists raises additional concerns. Some speculate that the gunmen might be seeking to silence critical voices or influence media coverage of sensitive issues in Kaduna.
This incident underscores the precarious situation faced by journalists in Nigeria, particularly those working in conflict zones. Just last month, a reporter for a local news outlet in Imo State was reportedly killed by gunmen. The lack of accountability for such crimes creates a climate of fear and self-censorship, hindering the free flow of information and ultimately undermining democratic processes.
The Nigerian government is under immense pressure to secure the journalists’ release. The international community has also expressed its condemnation of the abductions, calling for a swift and thorough investigation.
The coming days will be crucial. The safety of the abducted journalists and their families hangs in the balance. This attack is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who work to keep the public informed. It is imperative that the authorities spare no effort to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safe return of all those taken. Only then can the chilling effect of this attack be countered, and journalists can continue their vital role without fear of intimidation or violence.
