By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Armed bandits have abducted a Catholic catechist, his heavily pregnant wife, and about 30 other residents during a midnight attack on Kutaho and Kugir communities in Aribi Ward, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The raid occurred around 2 a.m. on Monday, forcing more than 90 percent of residents to flee their homes.
Rev. Fr. Linus Matthew Bobai, Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Kutaho, confirmed the incident, describing it as part of a recurring security threat in the area. He said the attackers had previously demanded ₦10 million from a parishioner and targeted the communities due to local farming activities, including irrigation farming and ginger cultivation.
Fr. Bobai explained that 16 people were abducted from Kutaho, including the catechist, his wife, and their baby, while another 16 were taken from Kugir. Several residents managed to escape, though the village head narrowly survived a machete attack.“ The mass displacement has worsened the humanitarian situation. More than 90 percent of our people slept outside the community, leaving only a few behind to keep vigil,” Fr. Bobai said.
He appealed to the Kaduna State Government and security agencies for urgent intervention, calling for the safe release of the abducted victims and a stronger security presence in rural areas to prevent future attacks. As of filing, the Kaduna State Police Command had not issued an official statement, and repeated calls to the command’s spokesperson went unanswered.
