The Village Head of Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr Ishaku Dan’azumi, has raised the alarm over the safety of Christian worshippers abducted by bandits during a recent attack in the area, SaharaReporters has reported.
According to community sources, a total of 177 worshippers were initially taken during the incident. Eleven of the victims later escaped, leaving 166 people, mostly women and children, still in captivity.
Dan’azumi disclosed that the abductors were sighted on Thursday morning moving with their captives along the Maro axis of Kajuru LGA. He said residents observed the group trekking on foot between Ungwan Gamu and Maro communities, though their destination remains unknown.
“They were seen trekking with the abducted worshippers between Ungwan Gamu and Maro,” the traditional ruler told The PUNCH during a telephone interview. “We don’t know where they are heading to, but the situation is very troubling.”
The report has sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing outrage and frustration over the continued insecurity in Kaduna State despite the heavy presence of security formations.
Some commentators questioned the effectiveness of security agencies in the area, while others accused authorities of failing to act promptly on intelligence reports. One social media user lamented that citizens appeared easier to monitor online than bandits moving freely through forests with abducted victims.
Another user described the situation as “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” adding that worshippers were kidnapped “in broad daylight while insecurity worsens and accountability remains absent.”
There were also renewed calls for urgent government intervention, with several commentators urging the federal and Kaduna State governments to intensify rescue efforts and address the growing banditry crisis in Kajuru and surrounding communities.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kaduna State Government nor security agencies had issued an official statement on the latest sightings of the abductors or ongoing rescue operations.
