• 80
• Bandit CAMP
• Escape
• Kaduna State
• Worshippers

KADUNA: 80 ABDUCTED WORSHIPPERS ESCAPE FROM BANDIT CAMP

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  Caroline Ameh / 2 days
• 0
• 2 min read

Eighty worshippers abducted during a bandit attack on Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have escaped from captivity, while 86 others remain unaccounted for, community leaders have confirmed. The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, said the victims escaped through nearby forests on the day of the attack and took refuge in remote settlements due to fear of further violence. “We have now confirmed that 80 of our people have been found in different locations. They ran through the forest and hid because of fear on the very day of the incident,” Dan’azumi said. He explained that contact with the escapees was only re-established after one of the victims reached out to the community a few days later and disclosed their location, prompting a verification exercise. “One of them called and told us where they were. We sent people there and confirmed their whereabouts. They were afraid because they thought what happened to a nearby village where bandits burnt down the entire community had happened to us. That was why they did not reach out immediately,” he added. According to the village head, a headcount conducted on Friday confirmed that 80 people had been located in various bush settlements, while search teams have been deployed to forest areas to determine whether additional victims are still in hiding. Dan’azumi said the Kaduna State Government had been formally informed of the development, but fear continued to prevent many of the escapees from returning home. “We have informed the government that 80 people have been found. They want us to gather them together, but fear is stopping many of them from returning. However, we have spoken with them and confirmed their locations,” he said. Bandits had on January 18 launched a coordinated attack on Kurmin Wali, targeting churches in the community and abducting 177 women, children, and men. The incident sparked widespread public outrage, with many Nigerians calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue those still missing.