BY SIMON REEF MUSA
The recent mass abductions of Christian worshippers in Kurmin Wali of Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State last Sunday is igniting an outage within and outside the country. Despite denials by both the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Rabiu, and the Kajuru council chairman, Dauda Madaki, news reports on the incident by the international media, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), confirmed that these attacks on three churches actually took place as provided by eyewitness accounts. To prove the attacks really happened, names of kidnapped victims were released to local media last Monday by the community leaders. More than 24 hours after the hunters of men, women and children had herded over 160 persons to the forest, the state police commissioner was still in annoying denial of the catastrophe when he told the press that there was no evidence confirming the kidnappings.
In the face of outrage among the besieged community and the nation, the council chairman was alleged to have visited the town on Sunday and told some members of the community not to speak to the press, promising them that only their silence would ensure the safe return of their kidnapped relatives. With a promise of safety for their loved ones, disputatious voices, nevertheless, ripped through the communities, thus elongating the confirmation of the truth over the tragic episode. By living in denial for over 30 hours that the Kurmin Wali abductions took place, there was a delay in activating rescue operations, thus giving time for the criminals to flee with the victims. Many are finding it unexplainable how over 160 people were herded into the forest without a trace.
What happened to the security strategies and security monitoring in saving and protecting lives and property? What about local vigilante groups now operating in most towns and villages for security purposes. If indeed, the council chairman had bought the silence of some members of the community, why did it take so long to debunk the position of the police commissioner and council chairman for the government to actually confirm that the kidnappings actually took place? It is clear that there were several conspiracies, with some people determined to take the nation for a ride.
The outcry over the Kurmin Wali mass abductions is understandable, taking into cognisant the relative peace and safety that has been the lot of Kaduna State since the emergence of the Governor Uba Sani-led administration. In accordance with the Kaduna governor’s commendable efforts in visiting attacked areas for empathy visits, as he did during the abductions of over 260 school children in Kuriga in March 2024, Senator Sani on Wednesday paid a sympathy visit to the people of Kurmin Wali to commiserate with the community over the tragic incident that has provided an opportunity for the opposition to lampoon the government over the state of insecurity confronting some parts of the country. Assuring them of the Kaduna State administration’s resolve to secure the release of their abducted relations, the governor promised to liaise with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd) to set up a military presence to oversee the security of the area, especially the forest area that links up to Rijana, a town along the Abuja-Kaduna highway that was once famed for its notoriety as the epicentre of kidnappings in the state. With the dust of doubt over the mass abductions now rested, the race for the rescue of the kidnapped victims is now gathering momentum.
Considering the wave of outrage sweeping across the country, it is certain that those behind these attacks are not willing to relent in their efforts to make the nation safe for citizens. Drawing lessons from what happened in Kurmin Wali, Nigerians are only waiting to be kidnapped by criminals whose quest for ransom payment has become unquenchable in a country where materialism has been turned into a religion.
It’s unbelievable that despite billions of naira appropriated by both the federal and state governments on security matters, Nigerians have continued to be victims of mass abductions and other forms of criminal attacks from brigands, with security personnel not adequately doing enough to obliterate the fire power to deal with perpetrators of insecurity. It seems, there’s an internal sabotage within the country’s security forces to frustrate and hinder the execution of their mandates, especially in the area of defending law-abiding citizens from attacks unleashed by these brigands who are soaked in their desire to turn citizens into commodities for money.
Those who think the present security arrangement that has gulped trillions of naira is adequate enough to end kidnappings and mass abductions are simply living in delusion. We must involve the people in safeguarding their lives and property. Sadly, the Forest Guards under the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has commenced in seven states, with the exception of Kaduna State. How long this slow and belated response to these attacks can end the recurring mass abductions is yet to be assessed. While we continue to wait for the rescue of the Kurmin Wali victims, the non-involvement of communities in the war against banditry and insurgency only serves to elongate the long night of despair for citizens waiting to be abducted for ransom.
Simon Reef Musa is an Abuja-based practitioner and can be reached via simonreef927@gmail.com
