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Motorcycle-riding bandits attack Kano community, kidnap mother of AA Rano’s aide

Residents of Rano Emirate in Kano State are reeling from a daring attack by dozens of gunmen, who raided the community and kidnapped the aged mother of the personal assistant to popular businessman, Alhaji Auwlu Rano, popularly known as AA Rano.

Residents said the gunmen stormed the community, firing guns before heading to an area called Galkere located at Sabuwar Unguwa where they took the elderly woman.

Efforts to speak to the victim’s son, Alhaji Kabiru Garba, over the incident did not succeed. She was still being held by the kidnappers at the time of filing this report, Dateline gathered.

There are claims by locals that the kidnappers had contacted the family, and demanded for N50million ransom. This could however not be independently verified.

The spokesman for the Kano State Police Command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna did not respond to a request for comment by Dateline Nigeria. Two different police sources however confirmed the incident.

A senior official of AA Rano Nigeria Limited also confirmed the incident but declined further details.

Rano, a community located 49km from Kano city, is one of the emirates created by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje at the height of his quarrel with Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, whom he subsequently deposed.

A secondary teacher residing in the ancient town, recalled that gunshots rent the air on Thursday night when the attackers made their way into the area.

Also, a community leader said eyewitnesses had reported seeing the gunmen riding into the town on about 40 motorcycles and two buses, “with each motorcycle carrying three armed men.”

“They were seen outskirts of the community smoking Indian Hemp before they broke into four groups and launched the attacks,” he said.

The community leader, who we are not naming because of security reasons, said police and security guards gave the gunmen a hot chase into the bush but were not able to rescue the captive.

Worried by spate suspected gunmen attacks on the community recently, he said: “The situation is disturbing and we are afraid what is happening in Zamfara and Katsina is gradually coming to us.”

He said Thursday’s incident was the sixth in a series of dastardly attacks in Rano in recent months.

“When they first came, they beat up a former Hisbah official, Alhaji Auwalu Kwamanda and members of his household, before carting away money. They came again on motorcycles and raided the residence of Alhaji Barau and beat up everyone. Next, they robbed the house of Alhaji Shekarau and returned in September and kidnapped him,” he said.

“Two days ago, a police patrol accosted two men riding a motorcycle long a road leading to our community. The men left the motorcycle and fled. When it was searched, two AK-47 rifles were found under the seat,” he added.

Dateline Nigeria gathered that residents of the town have resorted to prayers, seeking God’s intervention over the development.

A local vigilante member told this medium that police and vigilantes have intensified joint patrol in and around the area to check the activities of the criminals.

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