The Southern Kaduna People’s Union, SOKAPU said Kaduna State under Governor Nasir El-Rufai was fast becoming a “paradise” of sort for bandits that kidnapped people on a daily basis.
It said families in Southern Kaduna last year paid roughly N1bn as ransoms to free their abducted relatives.
SOKAPU’s spokesman, Mr Luka Binniyat, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Kaduna, said, “Kaduna State is unarguably Nigeria’s kidnappers’ paradise. It is also the safest place for arsonists and violent land grabbers. There doesn’t seem to be any serious attempt at uprooting them, especially in Southern Kaduna.
“It is sad that only published kidnapped cases are given attention by the public, but they constitute just a fraction of that crime going on in the state.
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“In our press statement of 23rd April, 2021, we affirmed that 65 Adara natives from Libere Gida, in Kallah ward and Kajuru ward were kidnapped last Tuesday night. 55 are still with the abductors after 10 managed to escape.
“The remaining 29 students of Federal School of Forestry, Afaka, Kaduna are still with their kidnappers for over 40 days now. They are now threatening to kill the males and marry off the girls if N500m ransom is not paid.
“Of course the kidnapped students of Greenfield University, Kasarami, in the Chikun LGA in Southern Kaduna are still hostages of their kidnappers after three of them were killed in cold blood. The murderers are asking for N800m in exchange for their freedom.”
He added, “Chikun ward in the Chikun LGA is virtually under the unchallenged control of the outlaws among other places.
“Last year alone, we made a conservative estimate of N1bn as the amount kidnapped Southern Kaduna families and friends paid to these cold blooded criminals.
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“Kidnapping and related crimes continue unabated in Southern Kaduna because there are no consequences for the criminals whom surviving victims have always said are armed herdsmen.”
The state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria in its reaction also condemned the attack on the Haske Baptist Church.
The state chapter of CAN, through its Secretary, Rev. Caleb Maaji, expressed concern about the sorry state of the security situation in the country and in particular, Kaduna State.
It stated said, “Our hearts are saddened over the sorry state of security situation in our dear state (Kaduna State). It has grown so unfortunate and on a daily basis continues to grow worse with no appreciable resistance given the unholy terrorists who have continued to hold our dear state and nation to ransom.
“This is happening in a nation that her constitution allows freedom of religion yet this freedom is not guaranteed. CAN Kaduna State continues to wonder, what is the crime of innocent citizen?
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“This is a challenge to government, indeed a government that is unable to guarantee the safety of her citizens and their properties will be best termed a failed government.”
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Also, the Middle Belt Forum on Sunday lamented Nigeria’s security situation, saying that terrorists had taken over the country.
The National Publicity Secretary of the MBF, Dr Isuwa Dogo in an interview with The PUNCH, described the attack on the church as regrettable.
According to him, a situation where gunmen kidnap citizens in broad day light irrespective of where they are without resistance from any quarters speaks volumes of the seriousness of the current situation.
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He further noted that the frequency with which the terrorists attacked Nigerians and thereafter demanded ransom which they used to fund their operations was the height of insecurity anywhere in the world.
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