Ariko Kidnap: Last 8 Freed After 5 Months, 5 Killed on Day of Attack, 17 Die in Captivity

Our Correspondent – Kaduna

The nearly five-month captivity of 37 persons kidnapped from Ariko village in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State on April 5th has ended with the release of the last eight victims.

The Kaduna State Government and security forces secured the release.

Giving a breakdown of the incident, sources said 37 people were kidnapped, and five people were killed on the day of the attack.

Out of the 37, 12 individuals escaped at various times while in captivity, 17 died while in captivity, and eight were finally rescued, marking the end of the saga for the Ariko abduction.

However, the bodies of the 17 who died in captivity are still lying in the bush and may never be recovered, raising concerns about closure for their families.

While noting that the unfortunate incident has ended, community members said trauma persists for those freed, who will continue living with psychological scars from their long stay in captivity.

Recall that on Easter, gunmen stormed Churches in Ariko during Sunday worship services. At least 7 people were killed, and 37 were abducted; the majority were women and children. Six days after, the abductor circulated a photo of the 37 hostages

Meanwhile, an appeal has been made to Governor Uba Sani over captives from Awon village.

The appeal called on the governor and security agencies to extend the same rescue efforts to secure the release of the six remaining victims in the bush.

Out of 11 persons abducted from Awon on April 20th, one escaped, four have died, and six are still alive and have remained in captivity for five months.

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