Fresh Kaduna attack leaves two dead, 20 abducted

Two persons have reportedly been killed, while 20 others were abducted when terrorists attacked the Akwando community at about 12 noon on Wednesday in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

 The incident was disclosed by the President of the Kuturmi Unity Development Association, Joseph Ariko, and its Publicity Secretary, Hon. Manasseh Akwando, on Thursday, as they expressed concern over what they described as recurring killings, abductions and displacement of residents in Kuturmi communities.

 The association condemned the latest attack, saying it represented another disturbing development in the persistent security challenges confronting the area.

 It said, “This latest incident represents another deeply troubling development in the persistent security challenges confronting our communities. It is particularly distressing that the attack occurred while our people are still grappling with the consequences of the Easter Sunday attack on Ariko.”

 The association released the names of the 20 persons reportedly abducted during the Akwando attack.

 They include Usman Galadima, La’a’zarus Genesis, Madalin Markus, Happy Stephen, Lovet Ishaya, Afiniki Irimeya, Amina Ahmadu, Miracle Genesis, Hellen Irimeya and Musa Genesis.

 Others are Janet Irimeya, Gloria Markus, Zila Stephen, Alis Ahmadu, Haske Ahmadu, Great Isiac, Hanatu Irimeya, Desmon Ishaya, Siam Shagari and Nansy Genesis.

 KUDA recalled that the Easter Sunday attack on Ariko reportedly claimed the lives of five persons at the scene, while another 17 victims subsequently died in captivity.

 It also expressed concern over an attack on the Awon community, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two persons and the abduction of 11 others.

 According to the association, five of the abducted persons regained their freedom on November 3, 2026, although one reportedly died a day after regaining freedom. Another victim escaped, while five others lost their lives in captivity.

 “The recurrence of attacks, killings, abductions and displacement across our communities has become an increasingly serious humanitarian and security concern,” the statement said.

 It added that residents continued to experience fear, uncertainty and psychological distress, while families had been separated, livelihoods disrupted, farmlands abandoned and ancestral settlements exposed to persistent insecurity.

 The association further alleged that armed groups had interfered with residents’ access to their ancestral lands and agricultural activities, including reported demands for payments or levies before community members could cultivate their farms or harvest their produce.

 It warned that such activities, if established, constituted serious threats to public security, the rule of law and the fundamental rights of affected communities.

 “No Nigerian citizen should be subjected to intimidation, extortion or unlawful restrictions by armed groups in accessing legitimate sources of livelihood or exercising lawful rights over their ancestral lands,” KUDA stated.

Related News

• Abuja-Kaduna highway safer under Tinubu — Dogara
• No ceasefire with Boko Haram, others — DHQ
• Plateau LG chairmen to establish security outfits in 17 councils

 The association also raised concerns about what it described as a possible pattern of targeted violence and systematic displacement of the Kuturmi population.

 It, however, stressed that the concerns were not presented as concluded findings against any individual or group, calling for independent and impartial investigations.

 “We emphasise that these concerns are not presented as concluded findings against any individual or group. Rather, they underscore the urgent need for independent, impartial and thorough investigations by competent authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the attacks, identify any underlying patterns and determine the appropriate legal and security responses,” the statement added.

 KUDA called on the Federal Government, Kaduna State Government and Kachia Local Government Council to urgently deploy adequately equipped security personnel to Akwando, Ariko, Awon and other vulnerable communities.

 It also demanded coordinated operations to secure the unconditional release of the 20 persons reportedly abducted in Akwando and others still being held against their will.

 Other demands include the establishment of permanent security posts, regular patrols, early-warning mechanisms, the prosecution of perpetrators and immediate humanitarian assistance to affected families, survivors and displaced residents.

 The association further called for high-level engagement between government officials and representatives of affected communities to assess the security situation and develop a sustainable response.

 “We wish to make it unequivocally clear that the Kuturmi people are not demanding special privileges or preferential treatment. We are demanding the protection of our fundamental rights as Nigerian citizens, including the rights to life, dignity, personal security, freedom of movement and the peaceful enjoyment of our ancestral heritage,” it said.

 It added, “Our communities cannot continue to experience recurring attacks, lose their loved ones, endure the abduction of family members, abandon their farmlands and face uncertainty over the safety of their ancestral settlements.”

 The association urged President Bola Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff and other relevant security agencies to treat the situation as an urgent security and humanitarian concern requiring coordinated and decisive intervention.

 It also appealed to traditional rulers, civil society organisations, human rights organisations and humanitarian agencies to support efforts to address the deteriorating security situation.

 “Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives, the victims who remain in captivity and all affected communities. We stand in solidarity with them and reiterate our demand for justice, effective protection and the safe return of all abducted persons,” the statement added.

 When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, did not respond to calls or a text message sent to him by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.