Residents of Kurmin Wali community in Afogo Ward of Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, have insisted that scores of worshippers were abducted during church services on Sunday, January 18, despite official denial by the Kaduna State Police Command and the state government.

The community’s position followed the emergence of a list containing the names of 177 alleged abductees from three churches; one Catholic, one Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and one Cherubim and Seraphim.

The release of the list came after the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, publicly challenged those making the claims to provide names and other details of the alleged victims.

Credible community sources confirmed that the police commissioner has on Tuesday morning, gone to the area on a fact-finding mission.

According to the sources, families of the alleged abductees have established contact with the kidnappers and are aware of the general location where the victims are being held.

“If they want, the escapees are on the ground to testify. The location of the rest of them have been established,” a source said in confidence.

However, the sources claimed that security operatives in the area have been constrained from acting decisively due to the official position that no abduction occurred.

“This was how former President Goodluck Jonathan was misled and denied the abduction of Chibok girls only to admit when it was too late.

“We don’t want a repeat of that. How could those saddled with the responsibility of protecting our lives and property denied abduction of such huge number of their citizens?

“They should have accepted and then summon courage to go after these criminals elements in good time,” the source lamented.

Community members expressed disappointment over what they described as a denial of their ordeal by authorities responsible for their protection, warning that delays could endanger the lives of the victims.

Another source said the abducted persons were mostly children and youths and were reportedly moved on foot into surrounding forests shortly after the attack, a situation the community believed could have allowed for an early rescue if action had been taken promptly.

The Kaduna State Police Command and the state government had earlier dismissed reports of the abduction as false, insisting that security checks in the area found no evidence of an attack.

As of the time of filing this report, no official response has been issued regarding the newly released list of alleged abductees. (The Sun)

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