Residents of Kutaho and Kugir communities in Aribi Ward, Kagarko Local Government Area, Kaduna State, have raised the alarm over the continued captivity of 32 villagers abducted by armed bandits over a month ago.
The kidnappers are said to be demanding ₦30 million and four motorcycles for their release.
Eyewitnesses said the villagers were seized during a raid in the early hours of February 9, 2026, when gunmen stormed the farming communities, firing indiscriminately and forcing residents from their homes before taking dozens of people to an unknown location.
Community members told journalists that the abducted include women, children, and a heavily pregnant woman.
One resident, Elisha Musa, described the ordeal: “We were asleep when the bandits began shooting. They entered the village and took many people away. Later, they demanded ₦30 million and four motorcycles as ransom.”
Villagers have been selling their properties and farm produce to meet the ransom demand, but the kidnappers have reportedly threatened to start killing the victims if their demands are not fully met.
The youth leader of Kutaho, Adams Solomon, said the attacks have forced many residents to abandon their homes in fear of further violence.
He appealed to government authorities to secure the release of the captives so that displaced residents could return safely.
David Amana, another resident, lamented that poor telecommunications coverage in the area has made it difficult to contact security agencies during attacks, complicating efforts to negotiate the release of the kidnapped villagers.
The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Aribi Ward, Rev. John Maiaper, said recurring raids have severely disrupted farming activities. “Kutaho was once famous for ginger farming, but insecurity has forced people to focus on maize, millet, and groundnuts,” he noted.
Pastor Bello Danasabe of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) added that the economic hardship in the communities has worsened as a result of persistent insecurity.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kaduna State Police Command nor the state government had commented on the abductions.
