Terrorists who abducted 177 Christian worshippers from Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have relocated their captives, local authorities have confirmed.
The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Mr. Ishaku Dan’azumi, disclosed that the abductors were sighted on Thursday morning trekking with the victims around the Maro axis of the local government area.
Speaking in a telephone interview with a national newspaper, Dan’azumi said residents received intelligence indicating that the kidnappers were moving on foot through bush paths linking Ungwan Gamu and Maro communities, although their current destination remains unknown.
According to him, the movement followed threats allegedly issued by the bandits on Wednesday evening after they noticed the presence of security operatives in the area.
“They called us yesterday evening and accused the community of bringing soldiers,” Dan’azumi said. “They claimed we were relying on powerful people because of the military presence. We explained that we invited no one. After that, they ended the call, and we have ot heard from them since.”
The traditional ruler expressed deep concern over the safety of the abducted worshippers and appealed to security agencies to intensify surveillance and rescue operations.
Kurmin Wali, Ungwan Gamu and Maro are rural communities in Kajuru LGA, an area widely regarded as a hotspot for banditry and mass kidnappings in Southern Kaduna. The vast forests and difficult terrain in the region have long been exploited by armed groups to establish hideouts and carry out attacks.
Residents of Kajuru have suffered repeated abductions, killings and destruction of farmlands, forcing many villagers to abandon their homes amid persistent insecurity.
The 177 worshippers were abducted on Sunday while attending church services in Kurmin Wali, sparking widespread outrage and renewed calls for decisive government action to curb mass kidnappings in the state.
Community leaders also revealed that the abductors had earlier demanded the return of 17 motorcycles allegedly seized during recent military operations as a condition for releasing the victims.
The incident has heightened fear across Kajuru and neighbouring communities, as families anxiously await the safe return of their loved ones.
