The attack occurred late on Saturday night, residents told SaharaReporters. Victims were identified as Prince Yusuf Derdoski and his pregnant sister, whose names were not immediately released.
Bandits have attacked a private residence in Pindiga town, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State, killing two people, including a pregnant woman, and abducting two others.
The attack occurred late on Saturday night, residents told SaharaReporters. Victims were identified as Prince Yusuf Derdoski and his pregnant sister, whose names were not immediately released.
Two other siblings were reportedly taken away by the attackers to an unknown location.
Sources in the community said the gunmen stormed the house under the cover of darkness, shooting indiscriminately before abducting the victims.
The incident has thrown Pindiga into deep mourning, with residents describing the killings as brutal and shocking.
Locals expressed fear and frustration over what they described as repeated security breaches in parts of Gombe State, saying communities remain vulnerable to bandit attacks.
Police authorities in the state confirmed the attack. Speaking to journalists, the spokesperson for the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said a distress call was received at exactly 3:30 a.m., prompting the deployment of senior officers led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations).
“Following this development, tactical and intelligence-led operations were immediately intensified in the area. Hunters and local vigilante groups have been mobilised, while concerted efforts are ongoing to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” the police spokesperson said.
Abdullahi added that tactical units, hunters and local vigilantes had been mobilised to track the criminals, rescue the abductees and restore calm in the area.
He urged residents to remain calm but to provide credible intelligence to assist ongoing operations.
Reacting to the killings, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya condemned the attack, calling it “barbaric, cruel and utterly unacceptable.”
In a statement issued by his press secretary, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the governor described the incident as a direct assault on the peace the state has tried to maintain.
“This dastardly act is a direct assault on our collective conscience and a painful test of our resolve to protect lives and property. The government and people of Gombe State share in the grief and anguish of the affected families and the entire Pindiga community,” he stated.
He directed security agencies to intensify operations, strengthen intelligence networks and deepen collaboration with communities, warning criminals that Gombe would not serve as a safe haven.
The governor also condoled with the affected families and the Pindiga Emirate, praying for strength to bear the loss and the safe return of the abducted victims.