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Suspected bandits have kidnapped the Chairman of Rogo Local Government Area (LGA) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Fanka Beli, following an overnight attack on Beli community which reportedly left two residents dead.
The incident, which occurred on Monday night, has heightened community tension and raised fresh concerns about the safety of political leaders and residents in rural parts of Kano State. Project reports
The attackers reportedly stormed Beli community, near Zarewa, at around 11pm and opened sporadic fire as they headed towards the residence of the APC chairman.
Armed men invade the president’s residence
According to residents familiar with the incident, the gunmen stormed Fanka Beli’s residence shortly after she returned from a political engagement in the nearby community of Zarewa.
The attackers are said to have taken him away from his family and fled the area despite residents’ attempts to resist the operation.
Kano State APC Publicity Secretary, Auwalu Sojo, confirmed the abduction, saying the president was taken away from his family in Beli village and remained in the custody of his captors.
Two residents were reportedly killed
The attack reportedly turned deadly when some residents attempted to stop the gunmen from taking away the APC chairman.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said two people were killed after confronting the heavily armed attackers.
According to the source, the residents were unable to stop the operation because the attackers were in possession of sophisticated weapons and opened fire on those who attempted to intervene.
Other reports put the casualty figure at one person killed, while some reports say one Almajiri was shot dead during the attack. The conflicting casualty figures could not be independently verified at the time of submission of this report.
The attack reportedly prompted residents to flee to nearby areas, with many of them remaining indoors after the incident due to fears of further attacks.
Suspect arrested after attackers escape
The attackers reportedly fled towards Babbarika village, abandoning three motorcycles along the way.
On Tuesday morning, residents reportedly became suspicious of a man seen asking questions about abandoned motorcycles. The man, identified by residents as a Fulani man who spoke Fulfulde, was arrested and later handed over to the police.
His mobile phones were reportedly seized by residents, who suspected he may have links to the attackers or possess information about the operation. However, there is no official confirmation that the man was involved in the kidnapping.
The circumstances of the suspect’s arrest and the extent of his alleged connection to the attackers were unclear at the time of writing this report.
New attack in a wave of violence
The abduction of the Rogo APC chairman came barely 24 hours after another attack on an APC official in the neighboring Bebeji Local Government Area of the state.
On Sunday night, gunmen reportedly attacked Rantan community in Bebeji, killing Rantan Ward APC Chairman, Alhaji Garba Buba, along with another resident identified as Sulaiman Zunduma.
The two incidents have raised concerns over what residents and political stakeholders have described as an emerging pattern of attacks against political and community figures in some parts of Kano State.
Previous attack on the traditional figure of Kano
The latest incident also came days after gunmen attacked Chiromawa community in Garun Mallam Local Government Area where the Sarkin Noman Kano, Alhaji Yusif Nadabo, was allegedly abducted.
Nadabo was later rescued following a security intervention, adding to the string of security incidents recorded in several communities across the state in a short period.
The succession of attacks has intensified calls for an improved security presence, intelligence gathering and rapid response in rural communities considered vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.
Security agencies have not yet provided details
At the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command had not publicly provided detailed information on the operation or the whereabouts of the abducted APC chairman.
The APC leadership in the state, however, confirmed the abduction and security agencies are reportedly working to locate and rescue Fanka Beli.
The development has continued to generate anxiety among residents of Rogo and nearby communities, particularly over fears that the recent attacks could further undermine security and political activities in the affected areas.
The whereabouts of the APC Chairman and his condition are unknown at the time of writing, while residents and political associates await further information from security agencies.
