Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A prominent Yoruba socio‑political organisation has openly accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of attempting to conceal the mass abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali, a community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, in what it describes as a troubling erosion of government accountability and responsiveness.
In a strongly worded statement issued this week, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé‑Yorùbá, a Yoruba cultural and political advocacy group, alleged that federal authorities have deliberately denied and downplayed the ordeal faced by at least 166 churchgoers kidnapped during coordinated attacks on multiple places of worship, asserting that the national government and security agencies have sought to suppress the truth and intimidate families into silence.
The group’s leadership condemned what it described as a “tragic example of how human lives have become worthless” under the All Progressives Congress (APC)‑led government, claiming that officials refused to acknowledge the abduction publicly and warned relatives of the victims against speaking out so that the international community would remain unaware of the scale of the incident.
“The situation reflects a dangerous pattern in which insecurity is downplayed while victims and their families are intimidated into silence,” the statement said, decrying what the Union termed “a return to official insensitivity” and a failure to protect citizens. It accused armed groups of operating with impunity, noting that kidnappers now reportedly demand large ransoms openly and continue to terrorise communities without being apprehended.
The organisation said the case also highlights a broader humanitarian crisis, where families of kidnapped victims are forced into desperate financial and emotional situations — selling possessions, borrowing funds, or pleading for help on social media to secure the release of their loved ones — while public authorities allegedly remain unresponsive.
According to the Union’s conveners, Nigeria has reached a point where mass kidnappings are treated as routine, with communities across several states — including Kogi, Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Benue, Kaduna and Borno — reportedly enduring repeated violent attacks and displacement.
Critics of the administration’s handling of the issue — including civil society organisations, opposition political parties and local community groups — have echoed similar concerns about official denials and late acknowledgements of the incident, arguing that transparency is essential for effective response and public trust. In response to public pressure and reports from civil society, police authorities eventually recognised that the simultaneous church attacks in Kurmin Wali did take place, although official statements initially dismissed them as rumours.
The Yoruba Union demanded that the federal and Kaduna State governments take urgent action to rescue the abducted worshippers, as well as intervene in the broader security crisis affecting vulnerable communities nationwide. It also warned that “human lives should be sacred” and called for accountability, asserting that repeated denials or cover‑ups of violent incidents undermine the rule of law and community confidence in public institutions.
As debates about public safety and security policy intensify in Nigeria, the allegations by Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé‑Yorùbá reflect deepening frustration among citizens and advocacy groups over what they view as insufficient action to address widespread insecurity and kidnappings.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments