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Gunmen In Southern Kaduna Kidnap Five Daughters Of Christ Embassy Pastor, One IDP

No less than six people have been kidnapped after gunmen stormed Karaji suburb in Kaduna State.

Among the victims of the incident, which took place less than 10 kilometres to the Government House, are five daughters of Pastor Istifanus Tiswan of the Christ Embassy Church.

They are Faith, Godsgift, Ruth, Damaris and Michelle. 

The other victim is Haruna Barde, who escaped violence from his native village to take refuge in Karji as an Internally Displaced Person.

The kidnappers are yet to make contact with the families or local authorities.

Luka Binniyat, spokesperson for the Southern Kaduna People’s Union, in a statement described as worrying the deteriorating security situation in the area, which has led to the killing and kidnapping of residents.

He said, “Kidnapping of our members almost on daily basis has become a source of severe worry for residents living on the fringes of Buyaya, Maraban Rido, Gonin Gora, Karji and Unguwan Juji, all suburbs of Kaduna that fall under Chikun LGA.

“Many have abandoned their homes to take refuge in safer areas. Meanwhile, natives of Katarma, Chikun ward, in same Chikun LGA are fleeing in droves across Kaduna river and taking refuge with their Gbagyi tribesmen in Sarkin Pawa town, in neighbouring Niger State as a result of fresh assaults over their community.

“These will add to the number of villages that our Gbagyi members have had to abandoned and flee for their dear lives after many of them have been destroyed and captured by Fulani militia in the past one year. Below are the numbers of Ggabyi communities in Kaduna State that are ravaged and destroyed by Fulani militia and occupied by them till date.”

He said so far, 45 communities have been displaced and occupied by their attackers. 

They are, Kunai Ward, Kudo (Dau), Sunusi Dnakwala, Galu, Aguyita, Galuko, Galiwyi, Atopi, Onkoru, Anguwan, Badole, Manini, Hayin Damisa, Anguwan Nyako, Badimi,

Gnashi, Sarari , Giji, Dnapagbe, Badimi, Shelbula, Rafin yashi, Sabongida, Rafinyashi, Anguwan Amos, Manini, Hayin Dakachi Manini, Madalla, Abon, Kawuya, Gayam Ward in Birnin Gwari LGA Bordering Kunai in Chikun LGA, Rumanan Gbagyi, Rumanan Hausa, Malamo, Labi, Hayin Kozo, Muya, Shuwaka, Polwaya, Kaguru, Kasko, Nasarawa Kaguru and Dabbara Kaguru.

SOKAPU said the recent attacks are sequel to the killing of four Gbagyi men by armed Fulani men on October 6 and November 7.

“The men were ambushed and killed in Dande Village, which is part of Kasaya Village, in Kunai ward of Chikun LGA. They are: John Musa, 45, married with 9 children; Habila Ibrahim, 42, husband of two wives and father of 9; Maikudi Wasa, 25, single and Samaila Audu, married to two wives and father of 7 children.

“David Umaru, 27 was injured in the incident,” the group said.

The group noted that despite the impact of the attacks, Governor Nasir El-Rufai had never visited any of the communities despite being in close proximity to the Government House.

“The effort of Operation Safe Haven under the Command of Maj. Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, who stationed enough of his men in Zangan District, in Atakad Chiefdom, Kaura LGA to make it possible for displaced atacked IDPs to return to their 9 abandoned communities. This has reduced the numbers of our occupied territories from 109 to 101 if Katarma village is added.

“The estimated IDPs from our affected communities are 50,000 and most of them live under sub-human conditions in IDP camps or squatting in squalor among poor communities safe enough to accept them in Southern Kaduna.

“Yet, it under this unspeakable atrocity against a large area of Kaduna state, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state has never visited any of the ravaged villages, some less than 30km from government House Kaduna. It would seem that far as both Kaduna state and the Federal government is concern these citizens don’t exist, and if they do, they don’t matter.

“It was therefore with shock and bewilderment that we read the visits of our governor, His Excellency, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to far away Lagos last week while touring some of the damaged property during the #EndSars demonstration which was violently hijacked by mobsters.

“Our governor said that he was almost moved to tears when he saw the scale of the destruction of both private and public property.

“We are surprised that our governor has tears to shed and can show some humanity on someone’s else tragedy, not the more humungous one that bothers on genocide and physical destruction of no less magnitude right in his state,” the group added.

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