CSW has learned that three more people abducted from Awon village in the Kachia Local Government Area (LGA) of southern Kaduna State, Nigeria on 20 April have died in captivity.
The three were among 11 people abducted from Awon, and were held in the same forest camp as 37 worshippers kidnapped in coordinated attacks by heavily armed militia of Fulani ethnicity on the Easter Sunday services of three churches in the Ariko community of Kachia LGA on 5 April.
Their abductors initially demanded 300 million naira (approximately 168,000 GBP) and 23 motorcycles for their release, rejecting the rural community’s offer of several million naira and threatening that their victims would have no access to food until the monies were forthcoming.
One person later escaped. However, a woman named Joy Samuel died on 28 August. She had given birth at the camp, but her baby had died. Her three-year-old daughter, Silvia Samuel, who was kidnapped alongside her, is reportedly now critically ill. Yusuf Bawa, 34, and his five-year-old son have also died from sickness and acute hunger. In addition, Faith Kefas and Rachel Bulus, both aged 14, are reportedly critically ill, having survived solely on water from a river for several months.
Their captors have reportedly reduced their ransom demands and are now requesting N9 million (around 5,030 GBP) and four motorcycles for the release of the remaining seven captives, who they admitted were in extremely poor condition due to illness and starvation.
In early August a woman from Ariko village, who also gave birth in captivity and whose baby had died a little over two weeks later, managed to escape, along with her three surviving children, aged four, six and twelve. The youngest was already critically ill. She died while being carried through the forest on her mother’s back, and her body was later carried by her 12-year-old sibling when their mother was no longer able to do so, having been weakened by starvation.
Nigeria continues to experience a rise in mass abductions for ransom, along with what has been termed the normalisation of prolonged captivity, as hundreds are held captive pending payment of extortionate ransom. For example, 42 school children abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba LGA in Borno state on 15 May by suspected Boko Haram terrorists remain in captivity over 100 days later. In addition, the 36 students and their teacher abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on 29 June from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, also in Askira/Uba LGA, remain in captivity.
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘Our hearts break at the horrific circumstances in which individuals, including children, abducted from the Ariko and Awon communities in Kaduna State have now lost their lives. We extend our deepest condolences to all who have lost loved ones, and urge state and federal authorities to redouble efforts to secure the releases of all abductees, including of the children seized in Borno State, many of whom are very young, and all of whom must be experiencing unimaginable trauma. The lives and wellbeing of Nigerian citizens must be prioritised by all levels of governance, and a comprehensive security strategy should be formulated as a matter of utmost urgency to safeguard vulnerable communities from violent non-state actors that appear able to operate with impunity.’