At least 80 worshippers abducted during a church service at Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have reunited with their families, findings have shown.
The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, disclosed this in an interview on Sunday, saying the victims returned after escaping from their captors and taking refuge in neighbouring communities.
Dan’azumi explained that although about 177 worshippers were initially believed to have been kidnapped during the attack, subsequent verification confirmed that 80 of them managed to escape shortly after the incident.
He, however, said that 86 worshippers are still being held by the bandits, while the whereabouts of a few others are still being clarified as families continue to search for their loved ones.
The traditional ruler lamented the trauma being faced by families of those still in captivity, noting that the community has been gripped by fear, anxiety and uncertainty since the abduction.
Dan’azumi also decried what he described as attempts by some individuals to politicise the tragedy, stressing that the focus should be on saving lives rather than scoring political points.
“We have observed that some people are trying to politicise our situation even as families are going through serious trauma,” he said.
The village head appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify efforts aimed at securing the immediate and safe release of the remaining abducted worshippers.
“We are appealing to the government and the military to expedite action to secure the safe return of the remaining 86 people still in the bandits’ camp,” Dan’azumi added.
When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the command would issue a comprehensive report on the abduction and the return of some of the worshippers.
“The police are going to come out with a comprehensive report surrounding the Kurmin Wali abduction,” the police spokesman said.
