Gunmen have kidnapped a serving councillor in southern Kaduna State, local sources said on Friday, in the latest attack amid persistent insecurity in the region.
Hon. David Ali Gwantu, who represents Gwantu Ward in Sanga Local Government Council, was abducted in the early hours of Friday at his residence in Gwantu town. The assailants reportedly stormed the house and seized him in the presence of his family members.
“They came into the house shortly after midnight and took him away,” a community leader in Gwantu told Reuters. “His family witnessed everything but could do nothing.”
The abduction comes amid continuing attacks in Southern Kaduna, where residents have faced repeated violence. A community source reported that seven victims, mostly minors, killed in last week’s attacks were buried on Saturday, August 29, in Unguwan Rimi village, Kauru Local Government Area.
“They were laid to rest in their community by their families, religious leaders, and others,” the source said.
Last Monday, armed attackers struck another area in Southern Kaduna, killing seven people, mostly children, despite a peace agreement reached between Kaduna State authorities and local bandit leaders. Several adults reportedly managed to escape the violence.
In a related incident, bandits targeted Kokob-Bajaga village in Kajuru Local Government Area last Tuesday, a community leader said.
The Kaduna State government, in collaboration with federal agencies, has launched what it calls the “Kaduna Model,” a comprehensive peace initiative aimed at tackling both the symptoms and root causes of insecurity. The initiative involves direct engagement with notorious bandit leaders operating in areas such as Birnin Gwari and Giwa.
“These are not petty criminals; they are warlords accused of mass killings, kidnappings, and extortion across Kaduna and neighboring states,” a government official said. “Under the new peace deal, many fighters have laid down their arms, and some have enrolled in rehabilitation programs.”
Around 200 former fighters reportedly surrendered under the initiative, which includes promises of disarmament, reintegration, and rural development. Key roads, such as the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway, have reopened, and villagers have begun returning home.
However, critics have expressed concern about the process. “The lack of transparency and the exclusion of victims from the negotiations is troubling,” said a Christian leader in Kaduna.
Governor Uba Sani defended the approach as a “carrot-and-stick” strategy, saying: “Peace must be pursued from a position of strength.”