Bandits that abducted residents of Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State are demanding N1bn as ransom before they are released.
The villagers were abducted on Easter Sunday. During the attack, some residents were killed, throwing the community into mourning and fear.
A statement issued on Monday by the chairman and Secretary of Concerned Ariko Youths, Linus Audu and Kefas Likita, the group described the incident as a tragic assault on innocent worshippers during a solemn period of reflection.
The statement explained that the victims included vulnerable members of the community such as two elderly blind men, women, children, and many families.
The statement laminated, “Among those abducted are two elderly blind men, two women whose husbands were killed during the attack alongside their children, several young children, two critically ill women, and entire families.”
The youths noted that the incident has created a humanitarian crisis in the community, with families left traumatised and uncertain about the fate of their loved ones, describing the N1bn ransom by the bandits as outrageous and impossible for the rural community to meet.
It added that it is neither reasonable nor humane to expect affected families, already devastated by loss and trauma, to raise such an amount, saying that
the latest incident is part of a troubling pattern of insecurity in Southern Kaduna, where rural communities have repeatedly come under attack by armed groups engaging in kidnapping and killings.
Residents have often been forced to rely on communal efforts and contributions to secure the release of abducted relatives, amid worsening economic conditions.
The group called on the Kachia Local Government authorities to urgently collaborate with security agencies and provide immediate support to affected families.
They also appealed to the Kaduna State Government to deploy adequate security measures to ensure the safe rescue of the victims, and urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts in tackling banditry across the country.
“We urge swift, transparent, and effective action to rescue the abducted victims unconditionally and bring the perpetrators to justice. Continued delay will only deepen the suffering of affected families and erode public confidence,” the statement added.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official response on the incident.