EDBandits struck one more time in Kaduna State on Sunday, April 26 when they killed a Christian worshipper and kidnapped four others in Haske Baptist Church in Mannai Tasha village in Kuriga ward of the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
The dastardly attacks have been roundly condemned by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union and Middle Belt Forum.
Mr Luka Binniyat, Sokapu’s spokesman was quoted to have 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.
“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.
https://33df964cb945ae95890f503af1fa0332.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html “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 Middle Belt Forum also condemned the attacks and lamented the situation where foreigners invade the country and pose a huge security risk.
Ohanaeze spokesman Chief Alex Ogbonnia said: “Honestly, the rate of violence in Nigeria has raising to a tipping point; a tipping point where perhaps a major catastrophe will besiege the country. It is a thing for worry and of great concerns.”
ED
