Gunmen, who abducted 72 Adara villagers in the Kajuru local government area (LGA) of Kaduna State, have reportedly demanded ₦350m to release the captives, the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU)said on Saturday.
According to SOKAPU, the kidnappers claimed they have 77 persons in captivity.
Recall that six days ago, gunmen had stormed Libere Gida, Kallah ward in Kajuru where they abducted the villagers. SOKAPU, at the time, had said that 10 of the 65 abducted villagers were able to escape a day after they were kidnapped.
It later added that after a headcount, 72 persons were being held by the kidnappers.
“They are made up of 16 males and 56 females. It will, therefore, mean that the kidnappers have captured some other persons to make up for the 77 captives they are claiming,” the group said in a statement by their spokesman, Luka Binniyat.
SOKAPU added that “Surprisingly, Kaduna State Government that has made it a habit of churning out daily updates on the security situation in Kaduna state has not made any mention of this mass abduction which occurred in Libere Gida around 11:30 pm of the 22nd April 2021.
“Libere is close to the three major IDP camps in Kajuru LGA. They are in Kallah town, Geffe and Rimau were not less than 5,000 have been staying under subhuman conditions since they were chased out from their various villages in May 2020 by armed men. Kaduna State Government has never visited or mentioned their existence not to talk of assisting them with any relief material.”
The group further added that “after unceasing siege on farming communities in Kajuru LGA, more communities have fallen under the control of these armed men, which we now suspect to be a coalition of armed herdsmen and Boko Haram.
“In the past one week, communities of Libere village in Kallah ward, Kujeni and part of Kutura in Tantatu ward, including Kurmin Wali in Afogo ward have fled. This is in addition to the 26 other Adara communities of Kajuru that have fallen to the armed invaders, some of them dating back to 2019.
“They communities are listed below according their wards: Kallah Ward – Kihoro-Libere, Bakin Kogi, Umiko,Magunguna, Idazo, Ungwan , Galadima, Ungwan Guza, Etiss, Ungwan Ma’aji, Ungwan Dantata, Ungwan Araha 1 & 2, Ungwan Goshi, Ungwan Shaban, Ungwan Jibo, Ungwan Maijama’a, Ungwan Sako, Ungwan Maidoki, Ungwan Masaba.
“Tantatu Ward, Ungwan Makware, Idon WardE, Edanu Ungwan Mudi, Ungwan Rana, Ifele, Ungwan Gora. The total number of communities captured by the armed invaders in Kajuru LGA is now 31.
“Not less than 100 communities of Southern Kaduna are already in the hands of the invaders. Some of the communities in Chikun LGA are contagious to Shiroro LGA of Niger State, where Boko Haram hoisted its flag last week.”
