Islamist group Ansaru claimed
responsibility for the abduction, saying it
has custody of the Briton, the Italian, the
Greek and four Lebanese kidnapped at
gunpoint from their workplace in
Jama’are, Bauchi State.
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday
ordered security agents to rescue the
seven foreigners abducted by gunmen in
Bauchi State on Saturday, last week.
A Nigerian security guard – Mr. John
Amalu – was killed by the gunmen.
All the kidnapped victims are employees of
construction firm SETRACO, working on
the Bauchi State segment of the Kano-
Maiduguri Expressway.
In a statement by his spokesman Dr.
Reuben Abati, the President
commiserated with the family of the
guard who was reportedly killed and
assured “the kidnapped foreign workers
as well as the governments of their
countries that the Federal Government
and its security agencies are doing
everything possible to find their
abductors and ensure the safe release of
all those they abducted”.
“The President condemns the kidnapping
of the workers and reaffirms the Federal
Government’s total commitment to
stamping out all forms of terrorism and
criminal abduction in the country.
“He urges all Nigerians and foreigners in
the country to continue to go about their
normal business in the full assurance that
the government and national security
agencies are working tirelessly to curb
threats to security in all parts of the
country,” Abati said.
The police in Bauchi said they had
intensified a manhunt for the militants.
Bauchi State Police Commissioner
Mohammed Ladan said “as soon as
security agencies conclude their
investigation, we will let the world know”.
“There is no contact with the abductors
yet but the search continues.”
Already, all the expatriates working with
the firm have been evacuated and work
on the road suspended.
A note allegedly written and posted on
Twitter by one Abu Usamatal Ansary
yesterday said: “Based on the
transgression and atrocities done to the
religion of Allah SWT by European
countries in many places such as
Afghanistan and Mali etc. By Allah’s grace
Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi
Biladissudan has the custody of seven
persons, which include Lebanese and
their European counterparts working with
Setraco in Nigeria on 8th of Rabiul
Thani,1434 equivalent to 7 February
2013’’.
The statement added: “It is stressed that
any attempt or act contrary to our
condition by the European Nations or by
the Nigeria Government will lead to the
happenings as it was in the previous
attempt.’’
The statement was not signed, but the
name of Abu Usamatal Ansary was at the
bottom as the writer.
The abductors allegedly used explosives
to blast their way into a housing
compound in a hail of gunfire.
It was the worst case of foreigners being
kidnapped since an insurgency by Islamist
militants intensified two years ago.
“By Allah’s grace (we) have the custody of
seven persons, which include Lebanese
and their European counterparts working
with Setraco,” read the statement from
Ansaru, a group that has kidnapped other
foreigners in Nigeria in the past.
The kidnapping was “based on the
transgression and atrocities done to the
religion of Allah by the European
countries in many places such as
Afghanistan and Mali”, the statement
added.
In the Jama’are housing compound walls
were strewn with bullet holes and empty
cartridges lay on the floor as police
searched the deserted Setraco site on
Monday, witnesses said. The remaining
foreign workers abandoned their homes
and fled to safer areas in Nigeria.
Islamist fighters first attacked a police
station and a prison, burning vehicles to
immobilise security officials, before
striking the compound in a coordinated
attack, the Setraco compound security
manager said.
“Some of them attacked the camp from
the north side, while others from the
south. They blew holes in the security
gates using explosives,” Musa Alhamdu
told Reuters.
“There was pandemonium after the
gunmen opened fire on the four
policemen attached to the camp, the
policemen ran away as they were
overpowered,” Alhamdu added.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/new-militant-group-ansaru-we-kidnapped-7-foreigners/

Just don't know what's keeping the drones....

if you're a millitant in NG, swag

nothing good can come from aboki