According to residents of the community who shared the incident on their social media pages, the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N200 million in order to release the abducted residents.
Suspected terrorists have reportedly kidnapped no fewer than 56 people during a fresh attack on Adara town in the Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger state, north central Nigeria.
The attack occurred in the middle of March, while residents of the community and its environs were mourning the death of Rev Fr Isaac Achi, who was brutally murdered by suspected assassins in the state in January.
According to residents of the community who shared the incident on their social media pages, the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N200 million in order to release the abducted residents.
In a Facebook post, Edward Simon Buju lamented how the attack has harmed the community’s socioeconomic situation, claiming that farmers in the area no longer go to their farms for fear of being attacked.
Edward went on to say that one of the abducted victims was killed by the gunmen because he refused to follow them to their new location.
His post reads: “Adunu is an Adara town in paikoro local government of Niger state a town full of love, peace and unity, has now been invaded by herdsmen who kills and kidnapped this Citizens in numbers.
“The Federal government and the government of Niger state should as a matter of urgency come to their aides to save them from this bandit who have been terrorising these community day in day out (sic).
“Early this month about 56 members of this community kidnapped by bandits that invaded the community numbering about 200 in numbers. Just this morning I got a shocking news that my friend who was also kidnapped by name Arada system was kill, because the bandits wanted to change their location and he complained that he has serious wound that won’t let him to Trek for a long distance, these heartless bandits shot him dead and send some women to inform the community.
“The kidnappers were asking for 200 millions for the people of about fifty something and where on earth will this money come from, this farmers don’t longer go to there farms.
“Pls I am calling on Foriegn NGO to come to the aides of this community to save them from hungry, and many other social amenities that they also need. Adunu a town bleeding No.”
Another social media user, identified as Jdpc Minna who claimed to be privy to the incident equally explained in detail how the attack occurred.
According to him, the terrorists stormed Adara town and its environs during the day while residents were conducting mass to mourn the death of Rev Fr Isaac Achi.
He continued: “While this Mass was going on, over 300 bandits surrounded the Adunu and Kwagana villages, less than 15 kilometers away from Kaffin-koro, abducting over 100 persons, destroying homes and looting shops in an uninterrupted operation that lasted over five (5) hours. They equally attacked Nanati, Beni, and Abolo communities among others.
“Hundreds were abducted in the process; scores were injured; couples abducted with recklessness. One of the nursing mothers (name withheld) had her infant thrown off her back and the mother kidnapped.
“Many others went through terrible, untold experiences. A health practitioner, Mr Joshua Galadima Bitrus, was shot dead by the bandits on the same day around Kwagana.
It was reported to the Justice, Development, and Peace Commission, Minna (a faith-based Non-governmental Organization) by eyewitnesses in real time.
“One eyewitness (name withheld) stated that “the bandits abducted as many as they could find. In fact, they went house by house, kidnapping, looting and destroying properties.”
He equally stated that “while some escaped when they got into the forests, over 56 identified persons are still in captivity”.
It must be stated that there is scarcely any security presence in Adunu and its environs despite the constant attacks on the people of that axis over the years.
These people are now internally displaced persons and aliens in their home country: living in perpetual fear; and now, with their homes and properties destroyed by the bandits, they are helpless.
It is to be noted that this took place on Tuesday, 14th of March, 2023, barely four (4) days to the 2023 Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said that while the bandits were raiding the houses, they kept shouting that “the people of Adunu must suffer for refusing to vote a particular political party during the just concluded Presidential elections.”
“The people of Adunu and environs have, over the years, been abandoned in terms of infrastructural development and provision of basic amenities, with one of the most dilapidated roads in Niger State, and school buildings that are best described as “collapsed”; yet they cannot go about their farming activities peacefully for fear of being kidnapped or even killed by the men of the underworld.
“Writing on behalf of “FREEDOM FOR #ADUNU56”, a concerned group of people from Adunu and environs, Gideon Bahago stated, “We demand the:
“Unconditional release of 56 members of our community kidnapped on the 14/03/2023 in Adunu by a notorious group of armed bandits.
“To bring to notice of national and international communities to the frequent injustices meted out on our people occasionally and demand this ugly trend stop.
“We demand that the Niger state government wake to her constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives of all her indigenes and Citizens alike.
“Demand that Security Agencies who are paid with taxpayers money rise to the occasion by immediately swinging into action in order to arrest the perpetrators of this ugly act while also ensuring that our people return to their respective families.
“Be of help where necessary to ensure the freedom of our people still in captivity via Legal means, awareness such as the #Adun56, peaceful protest and many others.
“We demand that security agencies i.e Police and Army units, formations and/or battalions be installed in our land to avert future occurrences.
“Due to lives lost and properties destroyed, Government should do so, as a matter of urgency, compensate families and victims.
“And or provide basic social amenities in communities affected where such have been tampered with. We therefore call on the Niger State government to respond quickly on this matter by ensuring that the kidnapped persons are released safely to their families, and that security is provided in order to prevent future attacks or abductions.”
“We equally call on the State and Local Government to activate an Emergency Response Team to address the material and psychological needs of the people especially in Adunu, Kwagana and environs,” his post concluded.
Meanwhile, when SaharaReporters contacted state police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun for comment, he promised to respond once his investigation was completed. However, as of the time of filing this report, the police spokesman had not responded to a message requesting his comment on the matter.
