BY TAIWO FAROTIMI
The Kaduna State Police command said the decision of people in Kaduna to block the highway to protest against kidnapping was wrong. Yakubu Sabo, the state police public relation officer said the action of the protesters infringed on the rights of other Nigerians, particularly those who had to use the highway to connect other states.
Residents took to the street after a successful kidnap of five people from their houses in the city. Reports have it that at about 1:00 am some armed men invaded Rariya community near Kabala. While the illicit operation was ongoing, however, residents called the police. Sabo confirmed the efforts of the residents to alert the police and he said he led some police personnel to the area.
Unfortunately, the invaders had gone with five people before the police arrived. According to Sabo, the people then became hostile by blocking the road and attempted to set a police station ablaze. The police spokesman said the police had to use ‘minimum force’ to disperse the rampaging youth. The leader, he said, has been arrested by the police. However, residents are said to have been angry that the kidnappers succeeded because they felt that the police did not respond quickly to the distress call.
The issue of kidnapping is assuming a dangerous trend now particularly in Kaduna where prominent people have abandoned the Kaduna/Abuja expressway because of the activities of kidnappers. Kaduna residents must then be concerned that the trend of invading communities to kidnap would heighten the security situation in the state.
