Gunmen kidnap businessman in Kano, burn police van

Tragedy struck on Wednesday following the abduction of a businessman by gunmen in Minjibir, about 50 kilometres from Kano metropolis, Kano State.

According to a source, the gunmen invaded the town around 1 am, shot in the air in the Masaka area of the town and abducted the businessman, identified as Abdullahi Kalos.

The gunmen also attacked some policemen and burnt down their patrol van.

An eyewitness said, “I first heard gunshots around 1.30 am and the shooting continued for some time and I had to peep through my window and noticed some policemen returning the fire.

“The gunmen positioned themselves in strategic junctions in the town. I suspect that they had superior firepower as the police later backed down.

“However, around 4.20 am, they ambushed and attacked some policemen alongside their DPO, who was in the patrol van near the Amsharu Primary School.

“No sooner had the police retreated than the gunmen set their patrol vehicle ablaze and left the town without anybody challenging them.”

Another eyewitness stated that the gunmen stormed the scene in a Hilux van, three Volkswagen Sharon minibuses and many motorcycles.

“They abandoned their vehicles at the Plantation area and trekked,” the eyewitness noted.

When contacted for confirmation, the spokesman for the state police command, DSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, did not respond to numerous calls put across to his mobile telephone.