Bandits abducted multiple residents from the Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Easter Sunday. The attack occurred during a period of worship, leaving some villagers dead and others taken hostage. Among those kidnapped are two elderly blind men, two women who lost their husbands in the attack, their children, several young children, two critically ill women, and entire families. The Concerned Ariko Youths, through a statement signed by their chairman Linus Audu and secretary Kefas Likita, condemned the abduction and revealed that the kidnappers are demanding N1 billion as ransom. The group described the demand as outrageous and unattainable for the rural community, already reeling from loss and trauma. The youths attributed the incident to a recurring pattern of violence in Southern Kaduna, where armed groups frequently target rural communities for kidnapping and killings. They noted that families often resort to pooling resources to secure the release of relatives, a burden worsened by deteriorating economic conditions. The group called on Kachia Local Government and the Kaduna State Government to collaborate with security agencies for the victims' rescue and for improved security in the area. They also urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts against banditry nationwide. "We urge swift, transparent, and effective action to rescue the abducted victims unconditionally and bring the perpetrators to justice. Continued delay will only deepen the suffering of affected families and erode public confidence," the statement read. As of the report's filing, no official response had been issued by security agencies.
The same communities being asked to self-fund ransom for kidnapped relatives are the ones expected to trust government promises of security. If families in Ariko must pool money to save their own from bandits, the state's claim of control is fiction. The N1bn ransom demand exposes a reality where victims pay twice—once in blood, once in cash. No official has answered for this failure, and silence is now complicity.
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