No fewer than 61 abducted worshippers of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakau Daji and nine other victims, who regained freedom have reunited with their family members.
The state Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan who presided over the handing over of the victims to their families at the Albarka Baptist Church, Gwari Avenue, Barnawa, Kaduna, said the state was informed of the victims’ release by the military when they were released by the bandits.
Aruwan said that before handing over the victims to the state government, the military had carried out an extensive medical evaluation of the abducted worshippers who had spent over 35 days as well as others victims kidnapped along Kaduna – Kachia road, in the bandits’ den.
The Commissioner was however silent on whether the victims’ families paid the N99million ransom demanded by the bandits.
He said more troops have been added to the Operation Thunders Storm following the recent attack on the Kaduna – Abuja highways.
“The military authority reached out to the Kaduna State Government that they have in their procession over 60 victims of kidnapping and that they want to hand over the victims to us. And the Kaduna State government took procession of the citizens and we handed them over to the leadership of the Kaduna Baptist Conference and their relations.”
“There are other citizens that their relations are equally here and we did the same thing. But from what we can see, largely victims that took place at the Emmanuel Baptist Church at Kakau Daji on Chukin LGA of the state and there other citizens where were kidnapped along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, Kachia”
“The military make sure they carried out an extensive medical evaluation of the kidnapped victims. And on the side of the government, if there is the need to do post-trauma evaluation with rehabilitation, we are ready. We will do that.”
“Once they seek help, the Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development will carry out the trauma exercise with them,” he said.
Aruwan solicited assistance from citizens and reminded them that security is not the business of government alone.
“Security is not a one-traffick. Security is something that involves different sides. The government and security forces alone cannot be able to sufficiently tackle this problem. We must collaborate. We must be part and parcel of this. Intelligence sharing is very important. Citizens must be alive to their responsibility. Once you notice any suspicious movement, you must inform the government.”
“Security agencies are doing their best. We are doing our best. We are also doing our best. But what I want you to know is that what we are experiencing today is an accumulation of problems that were left unattended to overtimes.”
“This is what led to where we are today. But on our side, we are doing our best and we will continue to do our best. You can see from the Kaduna – Abuja, we have gotten more troops that are added to Operation Thunder Storm,” he said.