The Village Head of Kurmin Wali community in the Kufana Chiefdom of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Ishaku Dan’azumi, has said 80 worshippers earlier believed to have been abducted by bandits have been located, while 86 others are still unaccounted for.
The community was thrown into panic about two weeks ago after armed men attacked Kurmin Wali and reportedly abducted worshippers during coordinated raids on churches.
The incident sparked public outrage and renewed calls for the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue those taken by the assailants.
Speaking on Sunday, Dan’azumi explained that the 80 worshippers were not abducted but escaped through surrounding forests, where they hid in isolated settlements out of fear.
“We have now confirmed that 80 of our people are safe in different locations. They fled into the forest on the day of the attack and hid because they were afraid,” he said.
He disclosed that contact with the escapees was only established a few days ago after one of them reached out to the community, prompting efforts to verify their claims.
“One of them eventually called and told us where they were. We sent people to confirm it. They were scared because they thought bandits had completely destroyed our village, like what happened in a neighbouring community,” he said.
According to the village head, a headcount conducted on Friday confirmed that the 80 worshippers were scattered across forest settlements, adding that search efforts were ongoing to determine if others were still hiding.
He said the state government had been briefed on the development, noting that fear was still preventing some of the identified persons from returning home.
“We have informed the government. They want the people gathered together, but fear is still holding some of them back, even though we have confirmed where they are,” Dan’azumi added.
It was earlier reported that about 177 women, children and men were abducted when bandits invaded Kurmin Wali on January 18, a claim initially denied by the state government and the police.
The authorities later acknowledged the attack and assured residents that security agencies were working to rescue those held captive.
Meanwhile, findings revealed that the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Rabiu Muhammad, has been engaging traditional rulers, community leaders and youth representatives in surrounding areas to seek local cooperation in addressing insecurity.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the command was awaiting a detailed report before issuing an official statement on the matter.
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