Residents of the Ariko community in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State have raised an alarm, alleging that the abductors of several villagers from the area have demanded a ransom of N1 billion before releasing them.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Concerned Ariko Youths group described the incident as a tragic assault on innocent worshippers during a solemn period of reflection.
The statement, signed by the Youth Chairman, Linus Audu, and Secretary, Kefas Likita, stressed that the victims included vulnerable members of the community, including two elderly blind men, women, children, and entire families.
“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 statement read.
The youths noted that the incident had created a humanitarian crisis in the community, which left families traumatised and uncertain about the fate of their loved ones.
The group further stated that the kidnappers had placed a ransom of N1bn on the victims, describing the demand as outrageous and impossible for the rural community to meet.
“It is neither reasonable nor humane to expect affected families, already devastated by loss and trauma, to raise such an amount,” the group said.
The current incident in part of the area is the 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, the security agency was yet to issue an official response on the incident.
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