By Tom Garba, Kaduna
Heart-wrenching cries of anguish echo through the terror-stricken communities of Gidan Waya, Mai Yamma, and Jantsauni in the Kurama Chiefdom of Lere Local Government Area, Kaduna State, as hopes fade for the safe return of an ECWA pastor and 12 other residents abducted by ruthless kidnappers nearly two months ago.
The victims, including vulnerable women and elderly individuals, were seized in a brazen attack by suspected armed bandits in November 2025, leaving families shattered and the entire chiefdom plunged into grief and fear.
Despite the community’s heroic efforts to scrape together a staggering N40 million ransom through desperate contributions, the kidnappers remain unyielding, now demanding an exorbitant N300 million for their release—or threatening a grim fate for the captives.
A distraught kinsman, Dauda Barau, broke down in tears as he appealed for help, voicing the collective torment of the affected families.
”We managed to raise forty million naira with great sacrifice, but the kidnappers are adamant,” he lamented. “Anything could happen to our people now. Among them are women and aged ones who may be battling serious underlying health challenges in those harsh conditions. It’s becoming a hopeless and devastating situation.”
The abduction has sent shockwaves through the Kurama Chiefdom, exacerbating the rampant kidnapping scourge that has ravaged southern Kaduna for years.
Residents describe nights filled with dread, as banditry continues unchecked, turning once-peaceful villages into zones of perpetual anxiety.
Families of the victims endure sleepless nights, haunted by the uncertainty of whether their loved ones are enduring torture, starvation, or worse in the kidnappers’ dens deep in the forests.
Community leaders and relatives paint a picture of profound emotional wreckage: mothers weeping uncontrollably, children orphaned in spirit, and elders questioning the value of life in a region where security seems elusive.
”These are our brothers, sisters, and spiritual leader,” one resident shared anonymously, voice trembling. “The pastor was a beacon of hope; now he’s suffering, and we feel powerless.”
Despite repeated pleas to security agencies and government authorities, there has been no significant breakthrough.
The kidnappers’ latest threat—that the victims will “meet their Waterloo” without full payment—has intensified the panic, with fears mounting that time is running out for the frail among them.
As the standoff drags on, the people of Kurama Chiefdom cling to fading hope, calling on federal and state governments for urgent intervention.
In a land where ransom payments rarely guarantee safety, this tragedy underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis in Kaduna, leaving entire communities trapped in a cycle of terror, loss, and heartbreaking despair.
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