In a tragic incident on Sunday, three people were shot dead and 30 others kidnapped following a coordinated bandits’ attack on two churches in Bakinpah-Maro, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack, which took place around 10 am, targeted worshippers at both an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) church and a Catholic church, plunging the community into chaos.
Cafra Caino, former chairman of Kajuru LGA, confirmed the attack, stating that the assailants arrived in large numbers and stormed the two churches during worship services. Among those abducted was Bernard Gajera, a pastor from one of the churches. The identities of the other abductees are yet to be confirmed.
“The bandits came in large numbers and attacked the two churches,” Caino said, adding that the community is reeling from the incident.
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At the time of reporting, the Kaduna State Police Command had yet to release an official statement regarding the attack, while security forces continue to assess the full extent of the casualties and abductions.
This attack comes at a time when the Maro community had recently launched efforts to raise funds for the construction of a security post, aiming to attract more law enforcement personnel to the area. The persistent insecurity has disrupted daily life and farming activities in the community, exacerbating concerns over banditry and violent crime.
In a similar occurrence, Grassroots Parrot had gathered that the Nigerian Army’s Operation Whirl Punch recently rescued 13 kidnapped victims from a bandits’ hideout in the Chigulu village of Kachia LGA, Kaduna State.
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According to Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna State’s Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the rescue operation followed credible intelligence of bandits moving hostages through the area.
During the operation, soldiers engaged in a fierce gun battle with the bandits, ultimately subduing them and forcing them to flee into the nearby forest, leaving their captives behind.
Aruwan stated that the 13 rescued victims, comprising six men and seven women, were taken to a military facility for medical evaluation and debriefing before being reunited with their families. The troops also dismantled the bandits’ camp and destroyed various items found at the site, including clothing and personal effects.
However, the surge in attacks in Kaduna state has heightened concerns about the security situation, with communities calling for increased military presence and more effective policing to combat the growing threat of banditry and kidnappings.