Chai! Na wa o! Wetin dey happen for Kaduna State wey don cause this kind wahala? Three churches don receive serious attack, and 177 worshippers don waka go bush since Sunday 18 January. We dey hear say armed bandits enter church during service like say dem be show organizers. Wetin be their aim? Kidnap worshippers and terrorize the community!
We hear say around 9am, as people dey worship, armed men just burst enter like say dem be celebrities wey wan perform. Yunana Adauji, one of the people wey manage escape, don talk say dem gather everybody together, dey threaten say if you try to run, dem go shoot you. My people, e no easy for that side! Kids, women, and even sick people wey dey house dey recuperate because dem just finish surgery, all of dem don join the kidnappers enter bush.
Initially, the local government talk say nothing happen o! Police commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu even call the news ‘falsehood’ like say na joke. But the villagers gather show proof and names of those wey don waka go with the bandits. After some days, small children and elderly women manage escape, but over 160 people still dey under their control, and everybody dey fear say na ransom dem go collect.
One escapee, Maigirma Shekarau, share him own gist: “Dem carry us trek without food and water, if you no fit waka fast, dem go beat you. I avoid dem with my baby by hiding for one abandoned house.” This no be the first time wey Kurmin Wali community dey face this kind palava. Just few days before, on 11 January, 21 people don gather them for same kind kidnapping wey finally require over seven million naira to free dem. E be like say na trend wey dem don set for that area!
People for Kurmin Wali don start to sleep for bush to avoid night attack. Some people dey traumatized, no fit chop, dey worry about their loved ones wey don enter dem hands. One woman talk say: “We no fit sleep for house because of fear; my baby dey sick from cold and mosquito wahala.” This kin insecurity dey vex people, and na why some don waka comot from their land since the bad boys no dey show mercy.
Recently, dem don show say government no dey fit protect the people well. Jo Newhouse wey dey represent Open Doors talk say na urgent matter wey need serious attention. “E don tire us sey another mass abduction don happen, wetin be government dey do for protection wey dem promise?” Na di high vulnerability wey Christians dey face for southern Kaduna State wey dey cause more problem. Na why dem dey suffer, dey fear, and dey poor. Dis kind matter dey affect the church plenty.”
Recently, Christian Association of Nigeria don gather for prayer session to seek God’s help for those wey don kidnapped. Reverend Joseph Hayab talk make dem lift security matter higher for church as e dey critical. “We dey pray, but we need to dey watch too. Church must wake up! We fit no let dis ginger our faith but also dey prepared from any wahala.” He don call on the government to intensify operations for dem vulnerable areas make dem no allow this kin thing happen again.
For now, we dey call on everybody, make you join us pray for the safe return of the worshippers. This don pass be careful matter! Na our brothers and sisters we dey talk about here. The whole nation dey look, and we no fit allow dis wahala continue. Na plenty chains dey for people neck, we go need every hand wey fit support to stop dis kain bad vibes from continue!
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