*Burn tractors, abduct 22 farmers

Terrorists have gone on rampage in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital, unleashing violence as it burned two tractors and abducting 22 farmers.

The terrorists’ violence took place at Rafin-Daji, Gurdi ward of Abaji Area Council of Abuja, a community that shares boundary with Zago community in Niger State. Both communities are connected through river Gurara.

Saidu Yakubu, a farmer, who escaped, confirmed that the incident happened around 2pm on Thursday.

Explaining that the terrorists who were wielding AK-47 rifles attacked farmers that were cultivating in the community, Yakubu said they shot sporadically into the air before whisking away the farmers and burnt two tractors on a large farm land in the community.

According to him, 13 family members were among the 22 abducted victims.

He gave the names of the family members as Ismaila Barde, Mustapha Barde, Nasiru Barde, Abdulkarim Barde, Sanusi Barde, Usman, Barde, Nura Barde, Abdullahi Barde, Babawo Barde, Farida Ayuba, Hauwa Ayuba and Hussaini Abdullahi.

He said the 13 family members, including two females, were working on separate farm lands when they terrorists swopped on them.

“It was only God that saved me as I managed to escape when the bandits were shooting into the air,” he said.

The district head of Gurdi Chiefdom, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, confirmed the inciddmt in a telephone chat on Friday, but explained he was yet to ascertain the number of abducted farmers.

The district head said his people were under siege as the terrorists usually invade his chiefdom through Niger State.

Bala said he had reported the latest kidnap incident to the Police and also to the Abaji Area Council.

Confirming the attacks, a Spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, ASP Oduniyi Omotayo, said efforts were on-going to rescue the victims and bring perpetrators to book.

“Upon receipt of the information, a combined team of police officers from various tactical and intelligence units of the command, hunters, vigilantes, hunters stormed the forest and combed it aggressively,” he said.

He added that monitoring and surveillance of the community was on-going.