Group raises alarm over abduction of Village head, 17 others in Kaduna

The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, has again raised an alarm over the abduction of the Village Head of Libere, Bala Yero, his wives and children numbering 16 by suspected herdsmen.

The Union said about 7 Adara villagers from Libere GRI Village, Kallah ward, Kajuru Local Government Area in Southern Kaduna were on Tuesday night rounded-up and taken away by some persons identified by the community members as armed Fulani militia.

According to SOKAPU, “The gunmen who arrived at the village around 11pm went about shooting in the air to scare the villagers as they captured their victims from compound to compound. They spent two hours unchallenged.

One of the most affected is the village head of Libere, Bala Yero. His wives and children, numbering 16 were among the kidnapped. They are made up of 9 women and 6 males, mostly children.”

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Luka Binniyat, SOKAPU’s however said that for some reasons that are yet not clear, the Kaduna State Government has not deemed it necessary to include this unfortunate occurrence in its Daily Security Update.

The statement, which disclosed that 10 of the abducted persons were able to escape from captivity the following day, however, said; “No person was killed and no property was destroyed in the Libere Gari crime,” adding; “There are now 48 females, including small girls and 17 males under criminal custody of the kidnappers. The kidnappers are yet to make contact with family members at the time of writing this press statement.”

Further detailing other criminal activities of the so called unknown gunmen in the southern part of Kaduna state, SOKAPU said; “Also, gunmen attacked Unguwan Mission, Asuwan Magani, Kajuru LGA, early morning on Friday, April 23, 2021, around 2am and kidnapped 8 persons, among them a pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist. The criminals have made contact with some of the family members and are asking for N30 million before their release.

“Last Wednesday two nurses, Afiniki Bako and Grace Nkut, at Idon Rural Hospital in the same Kajuru LGA were kidnapped, not far from a military checkpoint. It could be recalled that a private University, Greenfield University in Chikun LGA, also part of /southern Kaduna, located about 30km from Kaduna town on the Kaduna – Abuja expressway was invaded and at least 17 students, mostly girls were kidnapped. The kidnappers are asking for N800m as ransom.”

SOKAPU said the listed incidents are just a small part of the daily kidnapping, murder and arson going on in Kaduna state, especially in Kajuru an Chikun part of Southern Kaduna, even as it lamented that sadly; “Kaduna state government’s competence in battling the crime seems to be in its daily reportage of the evil which is on the rise with each passing day”