The Arewa Consultative Forum has expressed concern over the continued captivity of worshippers abducted from Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, urging authorities to act swiftly to secure their release.
The worshippers were abducted about a week ago when gunmen invaded three churches in the community during worship sessions, carting away several residents in the attack.
Speaking with The PUNCH in Kaduna on Tuesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said no fewer than 166 of the victims were still being held by their abductors.
Muhammad-Baba said the forum was saddened by the incident, describing it as a reminder of the worsening insecurity across the country and its implications for national stability.
“Like every patriotic Nigerian, ACF is gravely saddened by this incident. It is a stark reminder that much more needs to be done to tackle the scourge of insecurity, given its real national security implications,” he said.
According to him, the continued captivity of the victims underscores the urgent need for a more focused and effective strategy to confront criminality in the country.
He stressed that the immediate priority should be the rescue of the abducted worshippers, whom he said were likely enduring severe hardship in the hands of their captors.
“The most pressing need is the rescue of the helpless victims, who must now be suffering unspeakable hardships in the hands of illiterate and bloodthirsty criminals, bereft of basic human values such as mercy and compassion,” Muhammad-Baba said.
He added that every additional day the victims remained in captivity was unacceptable and posed grave humanitarian concerns.
The ACF spokesman warned that the Federal Government and other authorities must not underestimate the scale of the insecurity challenge confronting the nation.
He said, “No one, least of all the Federal Government, should harbour any doubts or false confidence that the nation is not being held in the vice grip of criminal elements.”
Muhammad-Baba insisted that there should be no compromise or appeasement in dealing with terrorists and other criminal groups operating across the country.
“The terror merchants and their collaborators must be dealt decisive and devastating blows until they are unequivocally subdued,” he added.
While expressing confidence in the ability of the security forces to confront the challenge, the Forum said they must be adequately supported and held accountable for delivering results.
The ACF also called for the empowerment of local communities to enable them to collaborate effectively with security agencies in tackling insecurity.
According to the Forum, the worsening security situation is crippling normal life in many parts of the country and should be treated as a national emergency.
“This is an emergency, and it must be treated as such. We must urgently rise to this challenge without hesitation or compromise,” Muhammad-Baba said.