One week after the abduction of worshippers in the Kurmin Wali community of Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, residents are still anxiously awaiting the return of their loved ones.
Speaking to Daily Trust from his hospital bed in Kaduna, the village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan'azumi Sidi, who was among those who escaped during the attack, said there had been no information on the whereabouts of those still being held captive.
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"I have not heard anything from them yet. It has been one week now. Please put them in your prayers," he said.
The village head said he and other injured villagers were taken to Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital by the Kaduna State Government for medical treatment following the governor's visit to the community.
When asked if it was true that the abducted worshippers had been sighted in the forest with the bandits, he said he was not aware of such information.
Our correspondent reports that Christians from neighbouring communities in Kajuru held special prayer sessions on Sunday, seeking divine intervention for the safe return of the abducted worshippers.
Speaking at the prayer session, the chairman of CAN in the 19 northern states, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, commended the efforts of security agencies and urged them to intensify efforts to ensure the prompt rescue of the victims.
Daily Trust had reported last week that 177 worshippers, including women and children, were abducted during a church service in two churches in the community.
However, 11 people later escaped, leaving 166 worshippers still in captivity one week after the incident, with their whereabouts still unknown.
The affected churches are the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, both located in the community, which shares a boundary with the Rijana forest.
The Kaduna State Government and the police confirmed the abduction about 24 hours after initially denying that the incident occurred.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, subsequently visited the community on Wednesday and assured residents that the state government, in collaboration with security agencies, was working tirelessly to secure the release of the victims.
