Kaduna Residents Send Food To Abductors Of 66 Baptist Church Members, 61 Left In Kidnappers' Den

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According to a report by SaharaReporters, some community representatives have reportedly sent food items to bandits who kidnapped 66 worshippers at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Kaduna State. 

The worshippers were kidnapped on October 31 at Kakau Daji in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

The bandits reportedly shot at five of their victims, killing three and injuring two of them. 

This leaves 61 of the worshippers with the bandits as the injured victims had to be taken to hospital and were later discharged, Sunday Punch reports. 

Vice President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (in 19 Northern States and Abuja) and its chairman in Kaduna State, Rev Joseph Hayab, told the newspaper that food items had been sent to them since penultimate Thursday.

He said, “At the moment, we have 61 persons with the bandits because they took five out of the 66 and shot them. Three died and two had serious injuries but have now been discharged.

“The community representatives took some food items to the bandits that Thursday and negotiation is ongoing about the ransom they demanded.”

Hayab expressed concern that bandits in the state were not afraid of security agents, knowing the government would not sincerely bring them to justice.

He questioned how and where bandits could have kept the 61 victims and so far eluded security agencies.

He said, “Bandits operating in Kaduna State have shown that they are not afraid of all our security measures probably because they know that the government will sincerely not bring them to justice even if they are arrested.

“We were told about the arrest of those who kidnapped and killed (the) late Agom Adara, a paramount ruler, but over two years now nothing serious is being said about their prosecution.”