Frustration and anger has greeted the abduction of over 40 persons and Christian worshippers which the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) said were kidnapped by terrorists in two days between September 12 and 13.
SOKAPU alleged that the 40 persons, including members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement, were abducted in Bayan Kasuwa Quarters of Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna.
Reacting in his usual characteristic manner of wondering how the security forces were outwitted, public commentator, Rev. Polycarp Gbaja, called for an end to what he described as “this nonsense.”
His words: “Another onslaught again on Adara land in Southern Kaduna. Moving 40 abducted persons on foot, from less than 30 minutes from Kaduna City, where over 15 major Government Security Agencies & institutions fully reside, begs a lot of questions.
“So, where are those Air Force drones, or a plethora of available intelligence technology, equipment and options? Where is INTEL, for goodness sake, for an area attacked every week for the past 5 years?! The Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, Civil Defence, Immigrations and every imaginable intelligence unit have the greatest convergence in Kaduna, more than any other city in Nigeria.
“So, the phones used to call relatives for the N200m …is it not the same MTN, GLO, Airtel & 9-Mobile, proving the services?!
Is it true, as Gov El-Rufai said, that you could trace their numbers, listen to their conversations & get their locations?!!
“The serial blunder has gone way beyond what is sane.
“No, we don’t have a lack of INTEL or CAPACITY to crush these vile terrorists, displaying such utter impunity, in a country of over 200m people with various capabilities and abilities.
And a plethora of viable government instruments. A lack of decisive political will against this madness, seems rather apparent, instead. The waste of lives, property & opportunity is so unnecessary.
“The impunity of the terrorists is insulting to our sensibilities and (yes!) intelligence.
“Federal Government and Kaduna State Government, this status quo is completely unacceptable and inexcusable. Haba!
“Go after these scoundrels and rescue these Nigeria citizens, immediately, as your primary duty mandate, as government stewards!!
“This nonsense should stop!”
In a statement on Monday, SOKAPU National President, Dr. Awemi Maisamari, issued to newsmen in Kaduna, disclosed that the bandits who kidnapped the rural folks were asking for N200 million to free them.
According to Maisamari: “There is still no breathing space for communities in Southern Kaduna. Terrorists, jihadists, bandits and armed herdsmen, have continued to plunder and wreck communities in the southern part of the state.
“The latest are the mass abductions that took place on September 12 and 13, 2022, at Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru LGA of Southern Kaduna.
“Kasuwan Magani is about 20km south of Kaduna metropolis on the Kaduna-Kafanchan Express road and hosts the biggest weekly market in Kaduna State.
“On the first day September 12, six people were abducted in a night raid by the terrorists at Ungwan Fada part of the town.
“With no measures put in place to forestall recurrence, the following day, September 13, the terrorists stormed the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, during a night vigil programme at the Bayan Kasuwa quarters of Kasuwan Magani Town, at around midnight.
“They succeeded in carting away more than sixty people from the church and neighboring houses. However, they were not able to take all of them away because some were very little children, too aged or had health challenges.
“While retreating with their captors to their camps, they attacked Janwuriya village, few kilometres from Kasuwan Magani, and abducted two more persons.
“As at now, 45 people have so far been confirmed abducted.
“Yesterday, however, September 18, 2022, the abductors made contact with some people in the town via phone calls and claimed that only 40 persons were held by them.
“They demanded for a ransom of N200 million, but negotiation is still on going. We do not know the identity or the fate of the 5 missing persons yet.”