More than 17 kidnapped victims from Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State remain in captivity, despite over N300 million reportedly paid as ransom.
A community leader from Kauru Local Government Area, Reverend Musa Hassan Shadari, speaking with journalists in Kaduna on Saturday, decried the rate of kidnapping for ransom in the area.
Shadari, who raised the alarm over escalating bandit attacks in the community, said “more than 50 people have been killed and over 1,000 abducted within a three-month period.”
He stated that the incidents had left dozens of families devastated and communities displaced, adding that about N300 million had been paid as ransom to secure the release of many victims.
The funds, he noted, were sourced from relatives, the sale of food reserves, and farmlands.
Shadari, who led a group of villagers on a protest to the Kaduna metropolis, said no fewer than 39 villages across the Kauru-West axis had been affected by the wave of killings and kidnappings.
He added that the affected communities comprised people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds, including Muslims, Christians, Hausa, and Fulani.
He appealed to the state government, led by Governor Uba Sani, to deploy more security personnel to the area, alleging that existing responses had been inadequate.
“We are facing serious challenges from kidnappers who are driving us out of our homes and communities,” Shadari said.
He further alleged that security operatives often responded briefly to distress calls but failed to maintain a sustained presence during attacks.
He added that the delay in speaking out was due to a lack of awareness on how to seek help, until concerned individuals encouraged them to engage the media.
