Armed men have kidnapped Arome Adaji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Leader of Ogbabede Ward, Abocho District, in the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, along with his wife, Justina.
Naija News reports that the gunmen were said to have invaded the couple’s residence on Ajegwuna Road, Abocho, at about 8 pm on Wednesday.
Witnesses who spoke with Daily Trust, said the attackers announced their arrival with a hail of gunfire, which sent residents scampering into their homes.
According to a resident, Ndamodu, the victims were unwinding at home when the shooting started around their house.
“Mr Arome Adaji, aka Iron Gate, and his wife were at home relaxing when suddenly the staccato of gunfire rent the air around his house,” he said.
He explained that fear of being hit by stray bullets kept people indoors throughout the attack.
“The sound of gunshots scared residents from coming out, as no one wanted to be caught in either crossfire or stray bullets,” he added.
The resident said it was only after the gunmen had left that neighbours came out and discovered that the youth leader and his wife had been taken away.
Reacting to the incident, a community leader, Surveyor Agono Eneogba, said criminal gangs in Kogi East had moved their operations from the highways into communities.
He explained that the presence of security personnel, vigilantes and hunters on the roads had forced the kidnappers to target homes and farmlands instead.
“Security operatives, vigilantes and local hunters have mounted surveillance on roads in the Kogi East communities. For weeks now, the armed hoodlums have scaled down activities on roads, focusing on residences and farms or farm settlements where they are abducting people at an alarming rate,” Eneogba said.
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