CAN Faults Security Agencies Over Kaduna Abduction Denial

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Northern region, Rev. Joseph Hayab, has criticised security agencies for initially denying the abduction of worshippers in Kaduna State.

Hayab spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, hours after the Nigeria Police Force confirmed that the kidnapping incident had occurred.

“The manner the police commissioner and other security agencies came out to outrightly say that this thing did not happen, to me it’s a total disappointment, a total failure.

“It has just increased the lack of trust that exists between the people and those who are securing them,” he said.

Reports had emerged on Sunday that scores of worshippers were abducted during an attack on Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, with over 100 persons reportedly taken.

Both the Kaduna State Government and security agencies initially dismissed the reports.

However, the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, later confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday night.

“Verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur,” Hundeyin said.

He explained that the Kaduna Police Command’s earlier comments were “intended to prevent unnecessary panic while facts were being confirmed”.

“Those remarks, which have since been widely misinterpreted, were not a denial of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field, including the identities and number of those affected,” he added.

But Hayab argued that the initial denials had negatively affected rescue efforts.

“Look at the time they were using in denial. That time they were supposed to be using it for pursuing the bandits, but they chose to allow the bandits to have gone far before they are coming to acknowledge that the information we give them is true and remains true,” he said.

The Kaduna incident is the latest in a series of mass kidnappings that have continued to plague the country, particularly in the northern region.