Eighty worshippers who escaped during a bandit attack on Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have returned to their homes after spending about two weeks in neighbouring villages.
The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, confirmed the development in a telephone interview on Sunday, saying the return followed relative calm brought about by ongoing security operations in the area.
Dan’azumi explained that while about 177 worshippers were initially feared abducted during the attack, investigations later showed that 80 of them managed to escape and sought refuge in nearby communities.
He, however, said 86 worshippers remain in captivity, noting that families of the victims are still going through deep trauma.
According to him, attempts by some individuals to politicise the incident have worsened the pain of affected families, even as the community continues to appeal for urgent intervention.
“We are calling on the government and the military to intensify efforts to ensure the safe release of the remaining 86 worshippers still in the bandits’ den,” he said.
A military source, who spoke anonymously, attributed the return of the displaced worshippers to sustained operations against bandit enclaves in Kajuru and surrounding forest areas.
Findings revealed that details of how the worshippers escaped, as well as the exact condition of those still being held, remain unclear.
The development came amid renewed attacks in the local government, as bandits on Tuesday struck Maikori community in Maro Ward, killing three residents.
A resident, who requested anonymity, identified the victims as Hassan Agola, Lawal Samson and Baba Apolo.
Residents recalled that the Kurmin Wali attack occurred on a Sunday night when armed men invaded the community during a worship session, abducting several people and forcing others to flee.
While some displaced residents have begun returning home cautiously, tension remains high across Kajuru, with community leaders calling for a stronger and permanent security presence to prevent further attacks.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not returned as of the time of filing this report.