Residents of Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have narrated how bandits attacked their community on Sunday and abducted many persons.
Some of those who escaped from the bandits and families of those abducted confirmed to Daily Trust yesterday during a visit by its correspondent that many people were taken away by gunmen.
They recounted that the bandits stormed the village, surrounded it and kidnapped their victims before taking them into the forest.
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This is even as many of the residents said they could no longer sleep in their homes at night for fear of attacks.
Although the Kaduna State Government and Police Command had said there was no kidnapping in the community, residents and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have insisted that the dozens of people were abducted and still with the bandits in the bush.
A convoy of security agencies, comprising the military, the police and others, were sighted heading for the community yesterday.
'My wife, 5 children among captives'
Jonathan Na Allah, a resident of Kurmin Wali, told our correspondent yesterday that bandits abducted his wife and five children during the attack. He said the incident occurred early in the morning during church services.
He said members of the local vigilante group alerted them that the bandits were approaching the village.
"As people tried to run, we realised that the bandits had already surrounded the village. Anyone who tried to escape was threatened with a gun," he said.
Jonathan explained that he managed to escape by hiding inside a house, but his wife and five children were not as lucky as they were picked and taken to the forest.
Also speaking to Daily Trust, another resident, who simply identified himself as Joseph's father, said his wife and child were still being held by the bandits.
He said although he escaped, the bandits beat him before taking his wife and child away.
"What hurts us most is hearing people say that nothing happened in our village," he said.
166 persons in captivity - Village head
The village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan'azumi Sidi, told Daily Trust, that no fewer than 166 persons are currently in the custody of the bandits.
He said he narrowly escaped near a river while many villagers were being marched into the forest.
According to him, fear has forced many residents to leave settlements located deep in the forest, while those who remain now sleep in the bush at night and return to the village during the day.
The village head also said the community is facing serious food shortage after residents sold their farm produce last week to raise ransom for the release of 21 people abducted earlier, only for the bandits to strike again days later.
"We are appealing for help because we have no food and nothing left to secure the release of our relatives still in captivity," he said.
Sources told Daily Trust that the bandits are demanding 17 motorcycles as ransom before releasing the abducted villagers.
Another resident, Luka Bauna, also narrated how he escaped from the kidnappers.
He said while they were being marched through the bush and they reached a river, darkness set in "and I managed to hide and escape because many people were being moved together."
"This is not the first time bandits have attacked our village, but they had never taken as many people as these. That is why everyone is afraid and some residents are leaving the village," he said.
The state government and the police did not issue any official statement on the incident yesterday.
The state's Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuiabu, did not answer several calls put through by Daily Trust to his mobile telephone line seeking his reaction to the accounts of the incident as given by residents of the community. He also did not reply text and WhatsApp messages sent to him.
On Monday, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, had said two churches were affected during the attack.
"I don't like talking about numbers, but information I received from the area indicated that about 172 people were abducted, while nine managed to escape, leaving about 163 still in the custody of the abductors," he had said.
He described the incident as painful but insisted that the church would not lose hope.
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"It is a very tough and sad situation, but we will not give up. The security agencies and the government are making efforts towards restoring peace in Kaduna, and we acknowledge and appreciate that," he said.
The Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Rabiu, had on Monday described reports of the kidnapping of 163 worshippers the area as false.
Addressing reporters after the State Security Council meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the police commissioner had challenged anyone making the claim to list the names of the alleged victims and provide other particulars.
"Till now, nobody has been able to provide the name of any person allegedly kidnapped from the community," CP Rabiu said on Monday.
Also, the Executive Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, on Monday dismissed reports of the attack as rumours.
Madaki had said he personally visited the area after hearing the reports, accompanied by security agencies.
Similarly, the state's Commissioner for Internal Security and Home, Sule Shauibu, stated on Monday that the CAN chairman and other religious leaders had interacted with the people of the area where the "so-called kidnap" occurred.
