Barely one week after 177 church worshippers were abducted in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, bandits have again struck the area, kidnapping six residents of Unguwar Barkonu in Maraban Kajuru.
The latest incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday in Kufana Ward, even as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) held special prayers for the safe return of the previously abducted worshippers.
A resident, Steven Kefas, said the attackers stormed the community around 1:00 a.m., broke into several houses and forcefully took six people away to an unknown location.
“Bandits invaded our community at about 1 a.m., broke into houses and abducted six residents,” Kefas said.
He expressed concern over the location of the attack, noting that it did not happen in a remote or inaccessible area.
“This is the centre of Kajuru, in Kudana, where people expect some level of security presence,” he added.
Kefas also lamented the lack of immediate response from security agencies.
“As at the time of this report, there was no response from the police or other security agencies. The community was left on its own,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of CAN in Kajuru Local Government Area, Reverend Enoch Kaura, said the attack occurred around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday.
“They surrounded the area and caused panic among residents,” Kaura said. “However, when neighbours raised the alarm and people began to come out, the attackers fled with six residents.”
He described the recurring attacks as distressing, especially coming shortly after the abduction of the church worshippers.
“It is painful that while families are still praying and hoping for the return of the 177 abducted worshippers, bandits have struck again. This has heightened fear across the Kajuru axis,” Kaura said.
Attempts to get a reaction from the Kaduna State Police Command were unsuccessful. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, could not be reached as his phone line was not reachable, and a text message sent to him had not been responded to at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, a special prayer session for the safe return of the 177 abducted worshippers was held on Sunday at Tawaliu Baptist Church in Maraban Kajuru. The prayer gathering drew Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and parts of northern Nigeria.
Family members of the abducted worshippers, some visibly emotional, attended the service as they awaited news of their loved ones. Church leaders used the occasion to urge the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of all abducted persons and restore peace to the area.
