Southern Kaduna women’s union urges governor to rescue abducted citizens

The women’s wing of the Southern Kaduna People Union (SOKAPU) has called upon Governor Uba Sani to take immediate and decisive action to rescue numerous individuals held captive by abductors across various areas in the state.

In a statement issued in Kaduna, Mrs. Jemutu Katarma, the National Women Coordinator for SOKAPU, urged Governor Uba Sani to leverage his positive relationship with the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other security leaders to secure the release of those in captivity.

Mrs. Katarma pointed out that of the 12 local government areas in Southern Kaduna, only three have been spared from the violence and criminal activities perpetrated by armed groups, particularly bandits and armed herdsmen. She highlighted the significant loss of lives, burned homes, and the abduction of hundreds of people.

On October 2, 2023, in Kachuwe, near Sarkin Pawa in Niger State, bandits k#lled 13 adult males and a young girl, completely destroying the village and abducting 14 youths, most of them children aged between three and ten.

Furthermore, on October 7, 2023, in Chikuri village, Chikun LGA, the statement reported that bandits entered Maikudi farms and kidnapped 14 women and a boy.

The statement confirmed that a total of 27 women and girls, along with four boys who are residents of Kaduna State from Chikun LGA, are currently in the custody of kidnappers, with one fatality already recorded.

Many of these individuals have been held by the bandits for months, leading to the destruction of entire villages and causing residents to flee to other locations in search of safety.