Chai! Na serious matter wey dey happen for Kurmin Wali, Kaduna State. For January 18, locals gather for church and market, but suddenly, gunmen wey dem sabi as bandits storm the village like say dem dey import wahala.
Before 9:30am, all hell don break loose as dem start to break doors and demand make people come out. Dem no leave any church nor house untouched. Those wey capture didn’t even spare a soul; more than 30 members of one big family just wan be rice wey dem chop so. Na wetin we fit call serious family wahala!
One woman wey named Jummai Idris dey cry for her family wey dem carry go since that day. She hide sharp sharp with two small pikin when she hear dem dey shout, but her heart dey break as she dey wonder wetin bandits dey do to her people now. “I don lose hope. I just dey pray make dem come back,” she talk with tears all over her face.
177 people collect emotional visa from the village that day, and na only 11 manage to escape from the grip of these bad boys. People wey still dey miss come be almost a quarter of Kurmin Wali total population, e no be joke o!
As if say na dem dem dey believe say na lie wey be, initially, Kaduna state police commissioner say na fake news wey dem dey carry come, but two days later, the national police spokesman come finally confess say, “E don happen.” Why dem go take time before dem accept truth, e be like say dem dey play hide-and-seek with facts.
Governor Uba Sani no just stop there, he talk say dem go secure and protect the community. But the locals dey reason am as just more talk without action. “Police dey for here but no protection dey follow am,” one resident talk with vex.
Church wey dem turn to kidnappers’ office still dey left as sacrifice offering; broken doors and scattered chairs dey show say panic no be joke. Maigirma Shekarau, one of the unlucky ones wey fit escape, narrates how dem treat am like low-budget movie when he dey tied up with other victims. “I hide with my small daughter before I fit waka go house alone. Na only us make am back, my family dey under dem bandits’ umbrella,” he lament.
The village chief don also feel the heat, e manage escape but now the community dey dwell in fear, as dem suspect say more attacks wan follow. As dem dey collect ransom from families wey just want their people back, na so hope dey fade from villagers’ heart.
Just few days after that attack, bandits return again to scatter the village. Dem wey dey accuse the people say dem steal motorcycle wey don turn secret hiding place – no wahala wey dem go no fit find for Nigeria!
Panchan Madami, one resident wey also manage escape, don pack him load say him no wan stay behind again. “Who wan stay for this life of fear? Na only the seriousy bold fit stay here. I no get time for drama,” he talk.
Now, the village dey face plenty challenges. 80 of the worshippers don manage to return after two weeks, but 86 still dey hold for bandits camp. Wetin dem go do to make sure say dem people come back? Na urgent matter!
As the drama dey unfold for Kajuru areas, all this wahala fit just be olodo-dance if the government no apply more serious moves. Local chiefs dey call for intensive security deployment make this kind of gbege no fit happen again. Time no dey for sweet talks; na action we dey need!
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