By Iliya Kure
In September, Kaduna state, northwest Nigeria joined neighbouring states in shutting down telecoms network, among other steps, to curtail activities of gunmen in its territory.
Announcing the measures, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said aside the telecoms shutdown in select areas, other steps including banning of motorcycle taxi for 90 days, and painting of commercial buses would be enforced.
The government action created lots of stress to residents of the state, who were used to patronising motorcycle taxi.
Despite the measures, cases of insecurity have persisted in a number of areas under the telecoms shutdown – there were cases of kidnappings in communities, as well as bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna rail track.
On Sunday, scores of worshippers were kidnapped during worship service at Emmanuel Baptist Church Kakkau Daji, a village outskirt of the metropolis. Initial report says over 100 worshippers were taken from the church, leaving one killed and another hospitalised.
The kidnap of the worshippers is coming months after kidnappers invaded Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi, Kaduna, taking with them over 120 students.
In an interview with AFRICA PRIME NEWS, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 19 states and Abuja, Rev. Joseph Hayab, said a headcount by community members revealed that over 60 worshippers could not be accounted for.
“We were informed by the community members that there were visitors who were also worshipping in the church on that day.”
He said, telecoms blackout in the area has prevented families of the kidnapped ones from communicating with the bandits to ascertain the exact number of people they took.
Rev Hayab, himself a Baptist ordained Minister had earlier told journalists, “The truth about the shutdown of network of telecom services is that people who are making policies are not fair to the citizens. You will agree with me that government is doing trial and error, and this has not worked to curb insecurity in the state.”
He added that, “the abducted Emmanuel Baptist Church worshippers would have cried out on Sunday to facilitate their rescue and for people to know that they were endangered, but they could not cry out. So, the shutdown of telecom network even assisted the bandits more.”
A resident of the area. Mr. Yakubu Sunday told AFRICA PRIME NEWS that, “when the gun men went to the church, they pushed aside pregnant women and nursing mothers and went away with the rest of the church members. I don’t know the exact number of people they took with them.”
Government Reaction
A Nigerian newspaper has quoted Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, saying “security forces reported that armed bandits attacked worshippers at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakkau Daji in Chikun LGA where a worshipper (Yusuf Dauda) was killed and an unspecified number of others were kidnapped.
“The statement also confirmed that another worshipper, Musa Yusuf, was injured in the incident.
It added that, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has commiserated with families of victims the attack.