Terrorists have reportedly abducted no fewer than 40 worshipers at Bege Baptist Church, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Hayab made this disclosure to newsmen on Tuesday.
He confirmed that 15 of the abducted worshippers escaped and have since returned to their respective families.
He said: ‘About 40 people were, on Sunday, abducted by gunmen during a church service at Bege Baptist Church, Madala, along Buruku Baringi road, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
‘The worshippers were in the Sunday service in the Church when around 9:30 am they heard gun shots very close to the Church. The gunmen attacked the church and went away with about 40 worshippers.
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‘Along the way, 15 of the abducted persons returned remaining 25 who are presently in captivity without any word from their abductors.’
‘Efforts are being made to get in contact with the abductors concerning the remaining people and we pray that the abductors would be merciful to release the remaining 25 back to their families.’
Spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mohammad Jalige, said he would contact the DPO of the affected area and revert.
The Southern Kaduna People Union (SOKAPU), had recently raised the alarm over deliberate plans to exterminate the ethnic group and called on the United Nations, the African Union, and others to set up a peace enforcement operation base in the area to checkmate incessant attacks and killings in the area.
SOKAPU also sent an appeal to Amnesty International, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and other world bodies to investigate the pogrom, stressing that there was an alleged plan to commit genocide to completely eliminate them from existence. The union which said it no longer has faith in the government and the armed forces, alleged there was a conspiracy of silence even as their kith and kin were killed and their homes destroyed with impunity.