Eighty persons abducted during an attack on churches in Kurmin Wali community of Kajuru Local Government Area in Kaduna State have escaped, while 86 others are still missing.
The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, said the victims were found in different locations after hiding in forests and remote settlements out of fear.
He explained that the escapees fled into the bush on the day of the attack and avoided contact with authorities, delaying efforts to account for them.
According to him, contact was re-established after one of the victims reached out to the community, prompting a verification exercise by local representatives.
A headcount later confirmed that 80 people had been located, while search teams were deployed to surrounding forest settlements to determine if more victims were still in hiding.
Dan’azumi said the state government had been formally informed, adding that fear was still preventing some of the escapees from returning home.
Recall Dockaysworld reported that the Kaduna State Police initially dismissed reports of a mass abduction from churches in Kurmin Wali before later confirming the incident did occur and launching security operations in the area.
“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.
“One of them called and told us where they were. We sent people there and confirmed their whereabouts,” he added.
“We have informed the government that 80 people have been found, but fear is stopping many of them from returning,” he said.
