By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
Residents of the Kutaho and Kugir communities in the Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State have deserted their homes following a violent midnight raid.
The attack resulted in the abduction of a Catholic catechist, his heavily pregnant wife, and approximately 30 other villagers.
Rev. Fr. Linus Matthew Bobai, the Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kutaho, confirmed that the assault has triggered a mass exodus, with over 90 percent of the population fleeing to neighboring villages for safety.
The attack, which occurred around 2:00 a.m. on Monday, was not an isolated incident of chance. Fr. Bobai revealed that the bandits had previously issued threats and ransom demands.
In one instance, they targeted a parishioner for ₦10 million, explicitly citing the community’s successful ginger cultivation and irrigation farming as evidence of wealth. Despite warnings to remain vigilant, the bandits returned as promised while the priest was away in Kaduna.
The scale of the kidnapping was coordinated across two distinct locations. In Kutaho, 16 people were seized, including the catechist and his young family. Although the gunmen initially rounded up more than 20 residents, they later released elderly individuals and those with visible health challenges.
In the neighboring community of Kugir, another 16 people were abducted from a church outstation residence.
Violence was also meted out to local leadership; the village head (Dakachi) narrowly escaped death but sustained severe machete wounds to his head and arm. He is currently receiving medical treatment in Kagarko.
The mass displacement has left these rural communities ghost towns. Fr. Bobai expressed frustration over the security vacuum, noting that although soldiers in nearby areas had been informed of the prior threats, the community was told that the specific region lacked regular security patrols.
The priest and the families of the victims are now calling on the Kaduna State Government and federal security agencies for an urgent intervention. They emphasize that residents cannot continue to live as refugees in their own land and are pleading for the safe return of the 32 captives.
As of this report, the Kaduna State Police Command has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.